The Karkur junction bus bombing was a suicide attack on October 21, 2002, at the Karkur junction near Wadi Ara, Israel. The attack, carried out by Islamic Jihad, killed 14 passengers and wounded 50.
| Karkur junction bus bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Second Intifada militancy campaign | |
  The attack site | |
| Native name | הפיגוע בצומת כרכור |
| Location | Karkur junction, Wadi Ara, Israel |
| Coordinates | 32°27′54″N 34°59′38″E / 32.46500°N 34.99389°E |
| Date | October 21, 2002 |
Attack type | Suicide bomber |
| Deaths | 7 soldiers and 7 civilians (+2 attackers) |
| Injured | 50+ |
| Perpetrator | Islamic Jihad |
The attack
Egged commuter bus 841 was on its way on Route No. 65 from Kiryat Shmona to Tel Aviv when it stopped at the Karkur junction, about 8 kilometers from Hadera at the afternoon rush hour. A passenger got on and spoke to driver Chaim Avraham, but before he could answer, a jeep loaded with an estimated 100 kilograms of TNT rammed the back of the bus, causing an explosion. A fire broke out, causing a chain of explosions from the ammunition carried by soldiers who were riding the bus.[1] The explosion ignited the fuel tank, leaving the bus completely gutted. The blaze initially prevented the police and rescue workers from approaching the bus, which was reduced to a blackened skeleton.[2]
7 Israeli soldiers and 7 civilians were killed in the attack and 50 passengers were wounded.[3]
Official reactions
The Palestinian Authority said it condemned the suicide bombing. An Israeli official expressed skepticism, declaring that "The Palestinian Authority has become a prime authority on terror and could not care less about preventing it."[4]
See also
External links
- 16 Die After Car Blast Causes Bus Fire In Israel - published on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on October 22, 2002
- Suicide car-bomb attack kills 14 in Israel - published on The Independent on October 22, 2002
- Bus Blast in Israel Kills at Least 14; Explosive-Laden Vehicle Sets Off Rush-Hour Inferno; 50 Injured Archived November 8, 2012, at the Wayback Machine - published on The Washington Post on October 22, 2002
- Terror attack kills 14 in Israel - published on CNN on October 22, 2002
- Suicide bombing of Egged bus No 841 at Karkur junction - published at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs