The terrorist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility this Thursday for the double “suicide” attack that left at least 84 dead on Wednesday in the town of Kerman, in southern Iran, during the celebration of the fourth anniversary of the assassination of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani. at the hands of the United States.
The terrorist group said in a statement released through its Telegram channels that two of its members “went towards a large gathering” near Soleimani’s tomb in Kerman and “detonated their explosive belts,” resulting in the death. of 84 people and injured more than 200, according to Iranian authorities. Although other figures were considered yesterday, the Iranian authorities this Thursday lowered the death toll to 84.
The Islamic State identified the two suicide bombers as Omar al Mowhid and Saifalá al Mujahid, who committed the attack so that “the polytheists know that the jihadists are behind them and their projects,” according to the statement.
The attack also left another 284 injured, of whom 220 remain hospitalized, according to the Iranian authorities, who had already noted that the attacks had been “suicidal.”
The terrorist attack occurred when thousands of people participated in the ceremony commemorating the death of Soleimani, who was assassinated in Baghdad in 2020 on the orders of then-US President Donald Trump. Qasem Soleimani was highly respected in his country for his role in defeating the Sunni jihadist group IS in Iraq and Syria.
Faced with one of the most brutal attacks in Iran in decades, the authorities of the Islamic Republic have assured that the “perpetrators” of the attack will be arrested by the security and intelligence forces and that those who support them “will fear the wrath of the Iranian nation.” .
The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for several attacks on Iranian soil in the past, the last of which prior to Kerman being an attack on a mausoleum in the southern city of Shiraz in which 15 people died in October 2022.
The Islamic State also today called on its followers to attack various cities in Europe and the United States for Western support for Israel in the war in the Gaza Strip, and thus “avenge” the Muslims of Palestine and other countries in Middle East.
“Let them know that they will be held accountable for their crimes in Palestine, in Iraq, in the Levant and in the rest of the Muslim countries in the streets of Washington, Paris, London, Rome and the countries of the atheists,” said the IS spokesman. , Abu Hazifa al Ansari, in an audio broadcast on the terrorist group’s channels.
In an unusual speech lasting more than half an hour, the spokesman assured that “the conflict” must now focus on Israel’s allies instead of on the Jewish State itself, as well as with the Arab countries that maintain relations with that nation.
“Within the framework of our faith that the war is with the Jews and their allies everywhere, the Islamic State announces the deployment of all its fighters, especially, and of all Muslims, in general, in support of the vulnerable to to target Jews, Christians and their criminal allies anywhere under heaven,” Al Ansari added.
Likewise, he called for “revenge for the Muslims of Palestine, Iraq, the Levant and Muslim countries” and urged “diversifying plans and operations with explosives, shooting, knives and attacks.”
“Pursue the Jewish and Christian prisoners in the streets of the United States, Europe and all over the world and break into their homes and kill them,” said the spokesman, who asked “not to distinguish between civilian or military atheists because the Jewish and Christian armies bomb to Muslim countries without differentiating between civilians and military.
