Baghdad, December 27: In Iraq, hundreds of thousands of Shia Muslims have gathered in the city of Karbala for the climax of the religious festival of Ashura.
The final processions will take place under tight security with more than 20,000 police deployed and marksmen placed on buildings. The festival mourns the 7th Century death in Karbala of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad.
In previous years, Iraq has seen attacks on pilgrims attending the ceremonies by militants trying to instigate violence between Shia Iraqis and the Sunni minority. Over the past week, police reported a number of bombings directed at Shia pilgrims. Two pilgrims were killed on Saturday by a roadside bomb in Baghdad.
–Agencies