Black-clad pilgrims pack Iraq's Karbala for Ashura
The annual Ashura commemorations, which peaked on Wednesday, mark the martyrdom of Imam Hussain.
KARBALA, Iraq (AFP) - Huge crowds of black-clad Shia Muslim pilgrims thronged the Iraqi shrine city of Karbala on Wednesday, weeping and beating their chests in mourning for the seventh century martyrdom of Imam Hussain.
Shias in Iraq have come under frequent attack by extremists of the Islamic State group and some 30,000 security personnel were out on the streets to guard the pilgrims, although attacks in Karbala are rare.
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Mourners commemorate Ashura in Najaf, Iraq. - Reuters
The annual Ashura commemorations, which peak on Wednesday, mark the martyrdom, of Imam Hussain by the forces of the Caliph Yazid in 680 AD -- a formative event in Islam.
The pilgrimage draws huge numbers of faithful, with Karbala deputy governor Ali al-Mayali saying three million were expected to take part this year.
Imam Hussain was martyred alongwith his family members in the Battle of Karbla in 61 A.H.
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Iraqi mourners perform during the reenactment of the Battle of Karbala in Baghdad’s northern district of Kadhimiya. - AFP
The ideal of sacrifice is a key tenet of Islam to this day, inspiring followers to give their lives for causes, including the war against IS.
Iraqi forces are currently preparing for a final push on Mosul, the last city in Iraq held by IS, which has lost much of the ground it seized in 2014.
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