Shia Communities Mark Anniversary of Bombing of Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra
Shia Communities Mark Anniversary of Bombing of Al-Askari Shrine in Samarra
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Shia Muslims in Iraq and around the world commemorated the anniversary of the attack on the Al-Askari Shrine in the holy city of Samarra, which took place on February 22, 2006, and resulted in the destruction of the shrine’s iconic golden dome.
The attack occurred on the 23rd of Muharram, when an armed group targeted the mausoleum of Imam Ali al-Hadi and Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon them both). The bombing caused extensive damage to the shrine and marked the beginning of a series of subsequent attacks, including the destruction of the shrine’s two minarets the following year.
According to accounts, the attackers gained access to the shrine, restrained security personnel, and detonated explosives inside the complex, leading to the collapse of the dome, which had been one of the most prominent architectural landmarks in the Islamic world.
The attack was widely viewed as an attempt to incite sectarian tensions between Shia and Sunni communities in Iraq, triggering widespread grief and condemnation among followers of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) worldwide.
In the aftermath, the office of senior Shiite religious authority Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Hosseini Shirazi issued a statement denouncing the attack and condemning the assault on the sacred shrine. The statement described the incident as an act aimed at provoking discord and disrespecting Islamic sanctities, and called for a week of public mourning and peaceful protest.
The anniversary continues to be observed as a moment of remembrance, with Shia communities emphasizing unity, solidarity, and resilience in the face of violence and extremism.
