Female Suicide Bomber Kills 46, Wounds 100 In Baghdad

A female suicide bomber, who was dressed in a head to toe abaya, blew herself up among the faithful Shi'ites who were attending the ritual in Karbala. 46 were murdered, and more than 100 were injured in the attack.

According to the Associated Press, 46 people were killed in the blast, another 122 wounded.

The explosion took place near the Shiite neighborhood of Shaab.

The woman was reportedly disguised as one of the pilgrims, hiding the deadly device beneath an abaya, a dark cloak covering her from head to toe, according to Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, Baghdad's top military spokesman.

The female had cleared a security check shortly before detonating her bomb, al-Moussawi said.

How could she have been cleared by security with a bomb large enough to do that kind of damage? Well, considering that the privacy afforded by wearing an abaya and a reluctance to stringently check women, it is possible that the terrorists have figured out a way to circumvent security measures (a problem that exists for more than just the Iraqis).

This attack is just the latest in a string of attacks against Shi'ites, who have a centuries-long conflict with Sunni Muslims for supremacy. It is likely that this was hoped to spark sectarian conflict leading to more upheaval and anarchy in Iraq.

Also, this is yet another attack by Islamic terrorists whose victims are fellow Muslims (albeit Sunni v. Shia violence).