A coordinated triple bombing in a Basra market killed at least 19 people, marking the second such attack in the city within three weeks.
Key Facts
- Deaths
- At least 19
- Wounded
- At least 65
- Number of bombs
- 3
- First device concealed in
- Motorbike
- Primary casualties
- Troops and policemen
- Days before energy conference
- 1 day
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Basra had experienced escalating militant activity, with a previous triple bombing less than three weeks earlier. Officials attributed the attacks to Baathist and al-Qaeda networks operating in the region, suggesting a coordinated campaign against security forces and public gatherings.
On November 24, 2011, three bombs detonated in a busy Basra market. The first device, hidden in a motorbike, exploded first; the remaining two detonated as security forces arrived to respond, deliberately targeting first responders and resulting in most casualties among troops and policemen.
At least 19 people were killed and 65 wounded, with security personnel bearing the brunt of the casualties. The attack occurred one day before a major energy conference, heightening security concerns. The head of the Basra provincial council security committee publicly blamed Baathist and al-Qaeda elements.