Attack on Iranian shrine kills at least four and injures several more as cops arrest one man

AN attack on a shrine in Iran has killed at least four and left several others injured.

The incident happened at the Shah Cheragh shrine in the southern city of Shiraz on Sunday.

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Iranian state media earlier reported that at least four people had been killed in the gun attack.

Local media has stated that one person.

“It happened around 7pm local time (15:30 GMT)… an armed terrorist entered the Shrine area and started shooting… he was arrested,” said Mohammad Hadi Imaniyeh, the governor of Fars province.

Gunmen tried to enter the shrine from the Bab al-Mahdi door but were met with “resistance” from “protection forces”, according to The semi-official Fars news agency.

One of the gunmen began to shoot indiscriminately after being confronted by security, witnesses told Fars.

At least seven people were left injured, including two workers at the shrine and two pilgrims.

Shops in the area were closed. 

The area surrounding the shrine has now been cordoned off by security forces, local media reported.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the Shi’ite Muslim shrine – but the state news agency IRNA claimed it had been carried out by terrorists.

Shah Cheragh was the scene of another attack in October, claimed by Islamic State (IS) when 13 people died.

Last month, Iran executed two people alleged to have helped carry out the October attack.

The ringleader, identified as an Afghan national, was killed at the scene during the attack.

Three other defendants were sentenced to prison for up to 25 years for their membership in the Islamic State group.

The shrine includes the tombs of two sons of the seventh Shia Imam Musa al-Kadhim, who are also the brothers of the eighth Imam Ali al-Rida.
Original News : https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/23471058/attack-iranian-shrine-kills-at-least-four/