A car bombing just killed 250 people. If this happened in Europe or in the United States, a hashtag supporting the victims and their families would have already trended in Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites and new write-ups about it would be posted almost every hour. Alas, since the terrorist attack was perpetrated in Iraq, no one seems to be talking about it.
A Huge Blast Followed by a Wall of Fire
The extremist group Islamic State took credit for the attack saying it is their just punishment for the Shia Muslims who IS claims is following a false version of Islam. The perpetrators used a refrigeration van full of explosive to carry out the attack. They positioned the vehicle near the al-Hadi Centre, a popular shopping mall located inside the busy district of Karrada. The district had more people than usual that day because of the coming Eid al-Fitr, the holiday the follows the holy month of Ramadan. The people were busy buying clothes and other items they can use to celebrate the end of the fasting.
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Upon detonation, the massive blast melted down significant portions of the mall and the surrounding cafes. The blast also caused numerous combustible substances in the area to catch fire resulting into a wall of fire that trapped the survivors of the blast. Among the 250 confirmed casualties, 81 have been charred beyond recognition and grieving relatives will have to wait for a DNA test before the bodies are identified. Also scattered all over the site are severed body parts and authorities have stated that they may not be able to completely identify which body parts belong to whom. This tragedy reminds us that IS can pick any time and any place to carry out atrocities of wanton violence and destruction.
Let Us Support Our Muslim Brothers and Sisters
We may have different faiths, cultures, and traditions but we are all brothers and sisters just the same. We should not show prejudice to Muslims. The Islamic State and other terrorist groups may claim that all their members are Muslims but they are but a very small portion of the total Muslim population. Most Muslims are advocates of peace. Their holy book, the Koran, even teaches Muslims to be loyal to whichever country they live in. We should not treat them differently.
It is not too late. Let us tweet and share about the incident so that more people will become aware that even Muslims often fall victims to atrocities committed by terrorists. Terrorists do not represent Islam or any religion. They are nothing more but enemies of humanity and we should all stand hand in hand in protecting and helping each other. Let us show our sympathy to the survivors and the relatives of the victims. Showing them we care may come a long way in helping them recover from the tragedy. Let us not stay silent about this.