Pemboman di Hilla itu mengobarkan amarah di kalangan penduduk Syiah setempat, dan terdengar tembakan ketika militan menuduh pasukan pemerintah gagal melindungi para peziarah dari serangan gerilyawan Sunni.
The Hilla bombings triggered fury amid the local Shiite population, and there was gunfire as militants accused government security forces of failing to protect the marchers from Sunni extremists.