Twenty-two years have passed since the deadly attack in the Iraqi city of Karbala that claimed the lives of five Bulgarian servicemen. A truck bomb rammed into Camp India, where the Bulgarian contingent was stationed, killing Georgi Kachorin, Ivan Indjov, Svilen Kirov, Nikolay Saryev and officer candidate Anton Petrov.

More than two decades later, the memory of the fallen remains alive not only through official commemorations, but also through personal acts of remembrance. For 22 consecutive years, Ivanka Petrova, Anton Petrov’s mother, has funded a scholarship awarded annually to the top student at the Professional High School of River Shipbuilding and Navigation in Ruse. At the same time, former comrades-in-arms continue their efforts to see a national monument erected in Sofia in honor of the soldiers who died.

The scholarship, given in Anton Petrov’s name, is intended to ensure that his sacrifice is not forgotten. According to Ivanka Petrova, each new generation of students learns about her son, about military service, and about the tragedy in Karbala. The school has preserved his memory through donated textbooks he once used and a dedicated corner honoring the Bulgarian Army. Principal Ivelina Georgieva told Bulgarian National Radio that Anton Petrov holds a special place in that space, ensuring that students continue to connect with his story.

One of this year’s scholarship recipients, ninth-grader Adis Petrov, was born after the attack in 2003, often referred to as “Bloody Christmas.” Yet he says receiving a scholarship bearing the name of a fallen soldier has made the event tangible and meaningful for him. In his words, the award represents far more than financial support. It stands as a reminder of duty, courage and devotion to the homeland.

Details of the attack emerged more clearly after an “incident clarification report” was declassified in 2014. The document shows that on December 27, 2003, Camp India functioned as a standard military base, formally prepared to repel hostile action. However, the northern gate leading to the helipad lacked the level of fortification seen at the main entrance. The gate was a corner structure covered with sheet metal, and unlike other sections of the perimeter, no trench had been dug in front of it. The trench was intentionally omitted to allow easier maneuvering of vehicles unloading supplies from American helicopters, but by the day of the attack it still had not been completed.

The report raises additional questions. It remains unclear whether proper shelters had been constructed to protect personnel from mortar fire, and documentation detailing the internal layout of the base such as sleeping quarters, offices, guard rooms and rapid reaction facilities was not presented. Despite this, inspections conducted by senior officers and generals prior to the attack had rated the base’s security and equipment positively.