AT LEAST 15 KILLED, 40 WOUNDED IN ATTACK ON SHIRAZ SHRINE IN IRAN

Wed 26 October 2022:

At least 15 people were killed and 40 more were injured in an attack on a Shia holy site in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz, IRNA reported.

According to the report, the incident, which occurred early Wednesday evening at the Shah Cheragh Sanctuary, was carried out by three armed men who entered the shrine.

Two of the attackers have been caught, with one still on the run.

It is unclear who was behind the attack, but IRNA said that the attackers acted like “takfiri terrorists”, in reference to groups such as ISIL (ISIS).

The Fars News Agency said that one woman and two children were among those killed.

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi vowed that the attack will not go unanswered, according to semi-official Tasnim news agency.

“Experience shows that Iran’s enemies, after failing to create a split in the nation’s united ranks, take revenge through violence and terror. This evil will definitely not go unanswered, and the security and law enforcement agencies will teach a lesson to those who designed the attack,” Raisi said.

Nournews, affiliated with Iran’s top security body, said they were not Iranian nationals.

However, the local police chief later said a lone gunman had carried out the attack, and was being questioned after he was captured. He gave no further details.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency said the attacker shot an employee at the shrine entrance before his rifle jammed and he was chased by bystanders.

The attack took place on the same day that Iranian security forces opened fire at mourners who gathered in Amini’s Kurdish home town of Saqez, according to a witness.

“Riot police shot mourners who gathered at the cemetery for Mahsa’s memorial ceremony … dozens have been arrested,” the witness said. Iranian authorities were not available to comment.

The semi-official ISNA news agency said about 10,000 people had gathered at the cemetery, adding that the internet was cut off after clashes between security forces and people there.

Shiraz is a renowned pilgrimage and tourist destination, and the latest such assault in the city occurred in April 2008, when a bomb planted in a mosque killed 14 people.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

TWITTER (CLICK HERE)
https://twitter.com/IpIndependent