A Sad Day In Baghdad(For Billy Lee Hae Gyu)

Hundreds of people were killed during a religious march after panic created a stampede
The Iraqi capital of Baghdad is in mourning. Officials say at least 769 people were killed during a stampede on a bridge on Wednesday morning. Another 323 people were injured. The Shiite Muslim pilgrims were crossing the bridge during a traditional religious procession. They were marching to a mosque in northern Iraq.
A Deadly Stampede
Officials say that panic began when a rumor spread that someone on the bridge had a bomb. People rushed to get off the bridge. Soon, the panic turned into a stampede. When railing on the bridge collapsed, hundreds of people fell into the Tigris River below. Officials say most of the people killed were women and children.
The pilgrims were walking to the Kahimiya mosque in northern Baghdad. They were going to gather at the mosque to honor Imam Moussa al-Khadehem. An imam is a man who leads prayers in a mosque. Al-Khadehem was an important person in Shiite history and is buried at the mosque.
After the tragedy, emergency crews took hundreds of wounded people to five hospitals. Thousands of people searched the riverbank for survivors.
Violence at Religious Events
In the past two years, insurgents have attacked Shiites during religious events. Just three hours before the stampede, an attack near the same mosque killed seven people and wounded 36 others.
Comprehension Questions