IED event in Kerman, Kerman area, Iran, Islamic Republic of on Wed 3rd January 2024

On 3 January 2024, two suicide bombers blew themselves in the crowds of Shiite mourners at the fifth-anniversary ceremony and commemoration of Qassem Soleimani's death near the Garden of Martyrs cemetery in Kerman (Kerman). The Islamic State of Khorasan claimed responsibility for the attack after 24 hours, claiming it targeted civilians for being 'polytheists'. The first bomb was detonated around 15:00 local time around the Saheb al-Zaman mosque outside security checkpoints, and the second bomb exploded about 15 minutes later, about 1km away from the cemetery, targeting people who were running from the first blast. At least 84 civilians were killed, and 284 individuals were injured, including 13 Afghan citizens and 30 children. The suicide bombers were identified as the IS militants from Tajikistan.