15 Shiite pilgrims killed in car bomb attacks in IraqJanuary 17, 2013 - 13:32 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - An Iraqi provincial health official says two car bombs have killed at least 11 Shiite pilgrims north of Baghdad, bringing the day's death toll in a series of attacks to 15, The Associated Press reports. The latest explosions struck Thursday, Jan 17 morning near Dujail, 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Baghdad, as the pilgrims were heading to a shrine in the town of Samarra. Raed Ibrahim, the head of the Salahuddin provincial health directorate, provided the death toll and says more than 60 were wounded. Earlier, another car bomb killed four Shiite pilgrims as they were heading to shrines in the country's south. Shiite pilgrims are a favorite target for Sunni insurgents who seek to undermine the country's Shiite-led government. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |