Iraq steps up security ahead of holiest day

Iraq partially sealed its land borders today as part of stepped-up security on the eve of the holiest day of the Shiite Muslim calendar as violence persisted unabated around the country.

Shiites are celebrating the Islamic holy month of Muharram and tomorrow is Ashoura, the 10th day of Muharram and the holiest day of the year for them. The day marks the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the prophet Muhammad, in a 7th century battle for leadership of the Islamic world.

Iraq’s fledgling government is hoping to avert the bloodshed that marred Ashoura last year, when twin blasts ripped through crowds of worshippers at Shiite Muslim shrines in Baghdad and Karbala, killing at least 181 people.

Land borders will be partially closed until Tuesday, said Thaer al-Naqeeb, a prime ministry spokesman. Exceptions include trucks carrying food or oil, while Baghdad’s international airport will remain open for flights, al-Naqeeb and aviation industry officials said.

In Karbala, where Ashoura celebrations will be centred south of Baghdad, police found the bodies of two police officers, both the sons of the chief of police of Najaf, another southern Shiite city, said Karbala police spokesman Rahman Mushawi. It was not clear who killed the two men.

Their father, Ghalib al-Jazaeni, said they had been kidnapped earlier. Their hands were bound and they had been shot many times in the head.

Iraqi police in Baghdad set up extra security checkpoints around the city.

In northern Iraq, brief clashes broke out between US troops and gunmen in Tal Afar, leaving one woman dead and six others wounded, hospital officials said on condition of anonymity.

Also in northern Iraq, assailants fired six mortar rounds at the governor’s office in Mosul. The shells exploded nearby. There was no immediate word on casualties.