2011 Samarra bombing

The 2011 Samarra bombing was an attack that took place in the city of Samarra on the 12 February 2011. A suicide bomber detonated an explosives vest at a bus depot at the entry to the city as Shia pilgrims gathered to commemorate the death of one of their 12 revered imams. The attacker infiltrated the crowd at a security checkpoint before detonating his explosives, killing 48 and injuring 80. Local officials blamed al-Qaeda in Iraq.