The State Department issued stark condemnation to the parties responsible for killing almost 80 Shiites in Baghdad in weekend bombings that coincided with the end of the Muslim holy period of Ramadan: These attacks were conducted by “enemies of Islam,” a spokeswoman said.
On a press release posted on the government site on Saturday, the State Department’s Jen Psaki said: “The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms the cowardly attacks … in Baghdad. These attacks were aimed at families celebrating the Eid al−Fatr holiday that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The terrorists who committed these acts are enemies of Islam and a shared enemy of the United States, Iraq and the international community.”
The car bombings spanned “twelve separate blasts targeting markets, busy shopping streets and parks,” and left nearly 80 dead, Reuters reported.
The Associated Press, which reported the attacks left 69 people dead, said that an al Qaeda branch in Iraq took responsibility for the bombings in a website posting on Sunday.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed the bombings were acts of revenge for the government’s recent arrests of hundreds of Muslims, AP reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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