Girl in pink jacket
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Reyhaneh Soltaninejad, nicknamed the girl in the pink jacket,[1] was a two-year-old girl who became a symbol of the 2024 terrorist attacks in Kerman, Iran, which occurred on January 3, 2024, during a memorial event for Qasem Soleimani, leaving more than 103 dead and 284 others injured. Reyhaneh was identified by her distinctive pink jacket and heart-shaped earrings. She was killed along with her mother, Fatemeh Soltaninejad, her brother, Mohammad Amin, and five other family members. According to the Tehran Times, after the incident, a picture circulated on the internet showing a short text inscribed on a small body bag: “Body parts, girl in pink jacket, heart-shaped earrings, probably 2 years old.” An emergency worker had hastily written these words to help identify the victim amid the incident.[2]
Background
[edit]On January 3, 2024, a pair of bombings occurred on the road to the Martyrs' Cemetery in Kerman, resulting in the death of at least[3] 103 people[4] and injuring around 284 others. The attacks took place during a memorial event for Qasem Soleimani, held on the fourth anniversary of his death from an American drone strike ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump. The first explosion occurred near the grave of Soleimani. Twenty minutes later,[5] a second, even more deadly, explosion occurred after crowds gathered to assist those wounded from the first.[4] Soon after the bombing, the Islamic State claimed responsibility.[5]
Reyhaneh's death
[edit]According to one of Reyhaneh's acquaintances, Reyhaneh and several other children were meant to stay at a pavilion while their mothers visited the Martyrs' Cemetery. In the afternoon, after returning, the first explosion occurred some distance away from the pavilion. The children's uncle quickly gathered his wife, his children, his sisters, and their children into a car to drive them home. They went to the parking area where the second explosion happened. Believing it was safe, he left them in the car and returned to help at the first explosion site. The second explosion occurred as his wife, sisters, and children headed towards their car to leave.[1] Reyhaneh was killed along with her mother, her brother, Mohammad Amin, and five other family members.[2]
A picture circulated on the internet after the incident featuring a short text on a small body bag: “Body parts, girl in pink jacket, heart-shaped earrings, probably 2 years old.” The description was hastily written by an emergency worker to help identify the victim amid the incident.[2] Reyhaneh's father, Peyman Soltaninejad, a retired police officer and war veteran,[which?] stated in an interview that his hair turned white due to the tragic incident of losing his wife and children.[1]
In arts
[edit]In January 2025, a painting by Iranian artist Hassan Ruholamin was unveiled[6] at a ceremony attended by Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, and the residents of Qom. The artwork, entitled "The Two-Year-Old Girl with a Pink Jacket and Heart-Shaped Earrings,"[7] depicts the toddler's tragic fate and the loss experienced by her family.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "دختر کاپشن صورتی با گوشواره قلبی که بود؟+ عکس" [Who was the girl in the pink jacket with the heart earrings? + Photo]. Iranian Students' News Agency (in Persian). 6 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ a b c "'Girl in pink jacket' comes back to hunt terrorists". Tehran Times. 16 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ "Iran identifies alleged bomb-maker behind last week's IS twin suicide attack that killed dozens". AP News. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ a b Lee, Vivian; Fassihi, Farnaz (3 January 2024). "Bombing in Iran Kills Over 100, Sowing Confusion and Speculation". The New York Times.
- ^ a b Salem, Mostafa; Al Lawati, Abbas; Picheta, Rob; John, Tara; Atay Alam, Hande (4 January 2024). "Twin blasts kill dozens near slain Iran commander's grave". CNN World.
- ^ "Mädchen in rosa Jacke mit Herzohrring". Eslam (in German). Retrieved 10 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Ruholamin unveils new painting on Kerman terrorist attack". Tehran Times. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.