Attacks on Sunnis and Shiites have sparked reprisal killings, and after the February 22 bombing of a revered Shiite shrine, violence seemed to escalate.

• 2月22日，什叶派的一个清真寺受到炸弹袭击，随后，逊尼派和什叶派互相攻击激发了更大规模的报复性的屠杀，暴力程度逐步升级。