The burial of assassinated Iranian commander General Qassem Soleimani was postponed due to a deadly stampede which erupted on Tuesday during the funeral procession, state media reported.
Iranians poured into the streets of Soleimani’s hometown of Kerman on Tuesday to pay their final respects. Photographs of the funeral procession show throngs of mourners dressed in black. Some carried flags and portraits of the slain Quds Force leader as they slowly moved through the town. Local media estimated that several million people attended the funeral.
However, the huge turnout led to a stampede which killed over 50 people, medics told ISNA news agency. Most of the victims were men of different ages, they added. Previous reports said that at least 213 others were injured.
Graphic videos on social media purportedly show trampled bodies lying on the street. The crowds forced authorities to temporarily postpone Soleimani’s burial, the semi-official ISNA reported. Shortly after 6pm local time, ISNA reported again that Soleimani's body had been "transferred to the martyrs section of Kerman cemetery," and the burial ceremony begun.
Soleimani was killed by a US drone strike in Baghdad last week, prompting several days of mourning in Iran. A funeral ceremony in Tehran, held on Monday, reportedly drew more than a million people, but no serious injuries or deaths were reported.
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