20 March 2012 Iraq attacks

Series of terrorist attacks throughout Iraqi cities during the 2011-13 insurgency

20 March 2012 Iraq attacks
Part of Iraqi insurgency (post U.S. withdrawal)
Location	Baghdad and at least 9 other cities, Iraq
Date	20 March 2012 (UTC+3)
Target	Security offices, (Shiite) civilians
Attack type	Suicide bombings, car bombs, IEDs, shootings
Deaths	52^[1]
Injured	~250^[2]
Perpetrators	Islamic State of Iraq

Iraqi insurgency
(2011–2013)

Timeline

2011
2012
2013

1st Baghdad
2nd Baghdad & Nasiriyah
Basra
3rd Baghdad
1st Pan-Iraq
2nd Pan-Iraq
4th Baghdad & Hilla
‡ 3rd Pan-Iraq
‡ 4th Pan-Iraq
‡ 5th Pan-Iraq
‡ 6th Pan-Iraq
7th Pan-Iraq
Tuz Khormato
1st Kirkuk
Akashat
8th Pan-Iraq
Tikrit
9th Pan-Iraq
5th Baghdad
‡ Hawija
‡ 10th Pan-Iraq
al-Shabah
6th Baghdad
11th Pan-Iraq
12th Pan-Iraq
‡ 13th Pan-Iraq
7th Baghdad
14th Pan-Iraq
‡ 15th Pan-Iraq
Camp Ashraf
8th Baghdad
‡ 16th Pan-Iraq
Samarra
‡ 9th Baghdad
2nd Kirkuk
10th Baghdad
11th Baghdad

‡ indicates incidents resulting in over 100 deaths

The 20 March 2012 Iraq attacks were the sixth simultaneous wave of bombings to hit Iraq during the insurgency and the second such major assault since the US withdrawal at the end of 2011. At least 50 people were killed and around 250 wounded in highly coordinated attacks spread out in at least 10 cities. The deadliest attack of the day took place in Karbala where twin bombings left 13 dead and 50 injured. In the northern city of Kirkuk a car parked in the parking lot of a local security office exploded, killing 13 and leaving almost 60 wounded. Several explosions rocked the capital Baghdad, including mortar attacks close to the Green Zone and a suicide blast near an intelligence building opposite the Foreign Ministry – three people were killed and nine wounded in that attack. Numerous other bombings and shootings took place all across the country, including Fallujah, Samarra, Baiji, Hillah, Latifiya, Tuz Khormato and others. A car bomb in Ramadi killed two and injured 11, as unidentified gunmen shot and killed two police officers in a nearby village. Authorities in Baqubah discovered and successfully disarmed at least eight explosive devices.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Perpetrators

The umbrella group Islamic State of Iraq almost immediately claimed responsibility for the bombings and promised further bloodshed as it targets Shiites across Iraq. The country is set to host the postponed Arab League Summit on 29 March, in the midst of a surge of violence and a rise in civilian and security casualties since the withdrawal of US forces.^[2]

References

^ al-Salhy, Suadad (25 March 2012). "INSIGHT-Iraq war over? Not where Qaeda rules through fear". Reuters. Archived from the original on 7 June 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Scores dead in string of Iraq blasts". Al Jazeera. 20 March 2012. Archived from the original on 15 January 2019. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
^ "Explosions across Iraq kill at least 29". Trust.org. 20 March 2012. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
^ "46 killed in attacks in 8 Iraq cities ahead of Arab summit". USA Today. 20 March 2012. Archived from the original on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012.