2004 Karbala and Najaf bombings

Car bombings in Najaf

2004 Karbala and Najaf bombings
Part of Iraqi insurgency (2003–2006) in Iraqi insurgency (2003–2011)
Location	Najaf and Karbala, Iraq
Date	19 December 2004 (UTC+3)
Target	Funeral procession, Imam Ali Mosque
Attack type	Suicide car bombings
Deaths	66
Injured	191
Perpetrators	Unknown, denied by Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Motive	Anti-Shi'ism

List of bombings during the Iraq War

‡ indicates attacks resulting in over 100 deaths
§ indicates the deadliest attack in the Iraq War
This list only includes major attacks.

2003: 1st Baghdad; 2nd Baghdad; Najaf; 3rd Baghdad; 1st Nasiriyah; 1st Karbala

2004: ‡ 1st Erbil; ‡ Ashoura; 1st Basra; 1st Mosul; 4th Baghdad; 5th Baghdad; Karbala & Najaf; 1st Baqubah; Kufa; Marez

2005: Suwaira bombing; ‡ 1st Al Hillah; 2nd Erbil; ‡ Musayyib; 6th Baghdad; ‡ 7th Baghdad; 1st Balad; Khanaqin

2006: ‡ Karbala-Ramadi; 1st Samarra; 8th Baghdad; 9th Baghdad; ‡ 10th Baghdad

2007: 11th Baghdad; 12th Baghdad; ‡ 13th Baghdad; 14th Baghdad; 15th Baghdad; ‡ 2nd Al Hillah; ‡ 1st Tal Afar; 16th Baghdad; 17th Baghdad; 2nd & 3rd Karbala; 2nd Mosul; ‡ 18th Baghdad; Makhmour; Abu Sayda; 2nd Samarra; 19th Baghdad; ‡ Amirli; 1st Kirkuk; 20th Baghdad; 21st Baghdad; § Qahtaniya; Amarah

2008: 22nd Baghdad; 2nd Balad; 23rd Baghdad; 4th Karbala; 24th Baghdad; Karmah; 2nd Baqubah; Dujail; Balad Ruz

2009: 25th Baghdad; 26th Baghdad; Baghdad-Muqdadiyah; Taza; 27th Baghdad; 2nd Kirkuk; 2nd Tal Afar; ‡ 28th Baghdad; ‡ 29th Baghdad; ‡ 30th Baghdad

2010: 31st Baghdad; 32nd Baghdad; 3rd Baqubah; 33rd Baghdad; 34th Baghdad; 35th Baghdad; ‡ 1st Pan-Iraq; 36th Baghdad; 37th Baghdad; 2nd Pan-Iraq; 38th Baghdad; 39th Baghdad; ‡ 40th Baghdad

2011: 41st Baghdad; ‡ 3rd Pan-Iraq; Karbala-Baghdad; 42nd Baghdad; Tikrit; 3rd Al Hillah; 3rd Samarra; Al Diwaniyah; Taji; 4th Pan-Iraq; 43rd Baghdad; 4th Karbala; 44th Baghdad; 2nd Basra; 45th Baghdad

The 2004 Karbala and Najaf bombings were car bombings that tore through a funeral procession in Najaf and through the main bus station in nearby Karbala—two Shia holy cities – on 19 December 2004.^[1]^[2] 66 people were killed and 191 wounded.^[3]^[4]

Perpetrators

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group Tanzim Qaidat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn ('al-Qaeda in Iraq') said that the group was not responsible for these attacks.^[3]

References

^ "Fast Facts: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi". Fox News. Associated Press. 8 June 2006. Archived from the original on 15 June 2006. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
^ "62 Iraqis killed in Karbala-Najaf bombings". People's Daily Online. 21 December 2004. Archived from the original on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Coalition Warfare, Part II: How Zarqawi Fits into Bin Laden's World Front". Terrorism Focus. 2 (8). The Jamestown Foundation. 28 April 2005. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
^ Penhaul, Karl; Perry, Cal; Sadeq, Kianne; al-Mufti, Nermeen; Flower, Kevin; Halasz, Stephanie (19 December 2004). "Bombs in Karbala, Najaf kill 67". CNN. Archived from the original on 23 December 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2019.