03 Jan 2024 | 02:32 PM UTC
Iran: Emergency response operations ongoing after two explosions in Kerman late Jan. 3 killed at least 103 and injured 141 /update 2
Emergency response ongoing following two explosions in Kerman, Iran, late Jan. 3; at least 103 killed, 141 injured. Avoid the area.
Authorities are continuing to respond to at least two explosions that occurred in Kerman late Jan. 3. According to officials, the blasts, which took place 10 minutes apart from each other, were caused by two explosive devices that had been placed in the Takht-e-Dargah Gholi Beyg and Jabaliyeh historical Dome areas near former Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani's burial site in Kerman. Both areas are located near Kerman Martyrs' Cemetery. The attacks have killed at least 103 people and wounded 141 others. The casualty number will likely rise over the coming hours. Iranian authorities are referring to the incident as a terror attack. No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected attacks as of yet.
The explosions occurred as thousands of mourners had gathered in Kerman to pay their respects on the occasion of the fourth death anniversary of Soleimani.
Heightened security and disruptions to transport and business are likely in the area over the coming hours as rescue and recovery operations continue.
Avoid the area until authorities give the all-clear. Plan for localized disruptions and seek alternative routes to circumvent the impacted location. Heed all official directives. Seek alternative routes and allow additional time to reach destinations if operating in the impacted area.
Soleimani was the commander of the Quds Force, which is the external wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that focuses on special and clandestine operations outside Iran. He was the main architect of Iran's military adventures and played a pivotal role in the country's activities in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. The US government justified the killing of Soleimani on the grounds that he was planning further attacks on American assets in Iraq and in the wider region.
