Baghdad Pilgrimage Stampede 2005

In 2005, a religious pilgrimage in Baghdad turned deadly when panic erupted on the Al-Aimmah Bridge. During the crowded procession, one man accused another of carrying explosives, sparking terror among thousands of worshippers.

The sudden fear triggered a massive stampede as pilgrims surged across the bridge, crushing and suffocating 953 people. Later investigations found no explosives at all, making the tragedy one of the deadliest crowd disasters in modern Middle Eastern history.

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