10 May 2010 Iraq attacks
Encyclopedia
The 10 May 2010 Iraq attacks were a series of bomb
and shooting
attacks that occurred in Iraq
on 10 May 2010, killing over 100 people and injuring 350, the highest death toll for a single day in Iraq in 2010.
This was the bloodiest day in Iraq since 8 December 2009
, when 127 people were killed in the capital.
Qassim al-Moussawi, an Iraqi Army
spokesman, gave a statement on 10 May in which he said "Al-Qaeda is trying to ... use some gaps created by some political problems".
According to official statistics, violent deaths in Iraq decreased slightly in April 2010 compared with April 2009.
car bomb
s at the 'State Company for Textile Industries' in Al Hillah in central Iraq, approximately 100 km (62.1 mi) from the capital, Baghdad. The first two bombs were in quick succession at about (10:30 UTC), followed minutes later by a third. A fourth car bomb targeted the crowd and emergency services at the scene, according to police Captain Ali al-Shimmari. The bombs killed a total of 45 people, leaving 140 wounded.
Fallujah, which had previously seen intense battles between insurgents and American troops
was targeted with at least two deaths resulting from bomb blasts. There were also attacks in Iskandariya, Mosul, Samarra and Al Tarmia (Tarmiyah). A double bomb struck near a mosque in Suwayrah, killing 11 people and wounding 70 more. In the southern port city of Basra, a car bomb exploded at a market in the evening, followed by two more bombs at another market, killing 20 people.
There were multiple shootings across the country, particularly at checkpoints in Baghdad. According to officials, as Baghdad's nightly curfew lifted at 05:00 local time, gunmen disguised as municipal street cleaners attacked 10 police and army checkpoints across the city, killing as many as 9 soldiers and officers, and wounding 24.
Baghdad's security spokesman said that a few remaining Al-Qaeda cells were "attempting to prove their existence" with the attacks.
Bomb
A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
and shooting
Shooting
Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
attacks that occurred in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
on 10 May 2010, killing over 100 people and injuring 350, the highest death toll for a single day in Iraq in 2010.
This was the bloodiest day in Iraq since 8 December 2009
8 December 2009 Baghdad bombings
The 8 December 2009 Baghdad bombings were attacks in Baghdad, Iraq which resulted in the deaths of at least 127 people and injuries to at least 448 more. The attacks have been condemned internationally as acts of terrorism...
, when 127 people were killed in the capital.
Background
Following the inconclusive 2010 Iraqi elections, these attacks were believed to be an attempt to further destabilise Iraq. Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Qassim al-Moussawi, an Iraqi Army
Iraqi Army
The Iraqi Army is the land component of the Iraqi military, active in various forms since being formed by the British during their mandate over the country after World War I....
spokesman, gave a statement on 10 May in which he said "Al-Qaeda is trying to ... use some gaps created by some political problems".
According to official statistics, violent deaths in Iraq decreased slightly in April 2010 compared with April 2009.
Attacks
There were at least twenty attacks, of which the worst, by death toll, was a series of three to four suicideSuicide attack
A suicide attack is a type of attack in which the attacker expects or intends to die in the process.- Historical :...
car bomb
Car bomb
A car bomb, or truck bomb also known as a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device , is an improvised explosive device placed in a car or other vehicle and then detonated. It is commonly used as a weapon of assassination, terrorism, or guerrilla warfare, to kill the occupants of the vehicle,...
s at the 'State Company for Textile Industries' in Al Hillah in central Iraq, approximately 100 km (62.1 mi) from the capital, Baghdad. The first two bombs were in quick succession at about (10:30 UTC), followed minutes later by a third. A fourth car bomb targeted the crowd and emergency services at the scene, according to police Captain Ali al-Shimmari. The bombs killed a total of 45 people, leaving 140 wounded.
Fallujah, which had previously seen intense battles between insurgents and American troops
United States Forces – Iraq
United States Forces - Iraq is a U.S. military sub-unified command, part of U.S. Central Command. It is stationed in Iraq as agreed with the Government of Iraq under the U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement. USF-I replaced the previous commands Multi-National Force - Iraq, Multi-National Corps -...
was targeted with at least two deaths resulting from bomb blasts. There were also attacks in Iskandariya, Mosul, Samarra and Al Tarmia (Tarmiyah). A double bomb struck near a mosque in Suwayrah, killing 11 people and wounding 70 more. In the southern port city of Basra, a car bomb exploded at a market in the evening, followed by two more bombs at another market, killing 20 people.
There were multiple shootings across the country, particularly at checkpoints in Baghdad. According to officials, as Baghdad's nightly curfew lifted at 05:00 local time, gunmen disguised as municipal street cleaners attacked 10 police and army checkpoints across the city, killing as many as 9 soldiers and officers, and wounding 24.
Responsibility
While no organization claimed responsibility, Iraqi authorities blamed Al-Qaeda in Iraq for the attacks, which came shortly after U.S. and Iraqi forces killed two high-ranking members of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.Reactions
An Interior Ministry source said the attacks were "a message to us that they can attack us in different parts of the city at the same time because they have cells everywhere."Baghdad's security spokesman said that a few remaining Al-Qaeda cells were "attempting to prove their existence" with the attacks.