At least one killed, several injured after attack on Shiite Muslim shrine in Iran: Reports

At least oneperson was killed after a shooting incident at a Shiite Muslim shrine in Iran’s central city of Shiraz, on Sunday (August 13), a local official told state TV, as per Reuters. The state media had previously reportedat least four people had been killed in the attack.

What do we know about the incident?

According to Iranian state media reports, one person has been arrested, and the other suspect escaped.“Four people have been killed so far following a terrorist attack by two armed men on the holy shrine of Shah Cheragh,” said an initialreport by the official news agency IRNA.

Later,Mohammad Hadi Imaniyeh, the governor of Fars province, told the state TV that the incident happened around 7:00 pm (local time) when"an armed terrorist entered the Shrine area and started shooting...he was arrested".

He added, "One person was killed in the attack."

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The semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that at least seven people were wounded and shops in the area around the shrine have been closed. The site has also been cordoned off by security forces, reported the state TV.

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So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Previous mass shooting

Last year, in October another mass shooting incident took place at the revered shrine, leaving 13 people dead and 30 wounded. The attack was later claimed by the Islamic State (IS).

According to the judiciary’s Mizan Online news website, the two men involved in the attack, identified as Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Naeem Hashem Qatali, were hanged in public.

Mizan said that Rashidi had confessed to having collaborated with IS to carry out the shooting in October. While the nationalities of the two men were not revealed, officials had previously said the attack involved people from other countries including neighbouring Afghanistan.

ALSO READ |ISIS claims Iran shrine attack, president Raisi vows strong response

The Mizan also reported they had been convicted of “corruption on earth, armed rebellion and acting against national security” as well as “conspiracy against the security of the country,” reported AFP.

The duo was hanged at dawn on July 8 on a street near the shrine in Shiraz, reported IRNA, at the time. Meanwhile, three other defendants in the case were sentenced to prison for five, 15 and 25 years for being members of the extremist group IS, said Fars Chief Justice Kazem Moussavi, as per AFP.

(With inputs from agencies)

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