Muhammad ibn Ali al-Hadi Mausoleum attack

On July 7, 2016, an attack occurred at the Mausoleum of Sayid Mohammed bin Ali al-Hadi in Balad, Iraq, a significant Shia holy site. The attack was carried out by ISIL, resulting in at least 56 deaths and 75 injuries among Shia pilgrims celebrating Eid al-Fitr. The attackers included suicide car bombers, foot suicide bombers, and gunmen who stormed the mausoleum after initial mortar strikes.

Three suicide bombers attempted to enter the shrine: one was killed by security forces, another detonated inside, and the third was stopped by a civilian, Najih Shaker Al-Baldawi, who hugged him, redirecting the explosion outside. Subsequently, around 20 militants seized control of the site for about half an hour before being repelled by reinforcements.

The attack followed ISIL's July 3 Baghdad bombings, which killed over 300 people, prompting predictions that a Shia shrine would be the next target. After the Balad attack, Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr deployed militias to protect the shrine, and security officials criticized the incident as a "security failure." There were allegations against Sunnis but also calls for unity to prevent sectarian conflict.

ISIL claimed over 100 deaths, though confirmed toll was lower. The attack aimed to ignite sectarian tensions, with international figures urging unity to avoid relapsing into past conflicts.