Iran Prepares for Aashoura Mourning

A large number of Iranian Shiite pilgrims flocked into Karbala, some 110 km South of Baghdad, and into Kadhmiyah in Northern Baghdad to commemorate Ashoura day, Thursday, which marks the death of Imam Hossein who was killed and buried in Karbala in 680 AD.

Numbers of black-clad men, young men and children, waving green, black and red flags, and accompanied by drummers, marched through the streets of Karbala and Kadhmiyah.

Some pilgrims beat their chests and heads in honor of Imam Hossein who was killed in the battle of Karbala in the seventh century and since then became a key moment in Shiite history and religion.

Thousands of Iraqi security troops manned dozens of checkpoints and patrols across Baghdad and thousands more of security members with hundreds of civilian guards, recruited by Shiite clerics, were deployed in and around the city of Karbala to protect the worshippers, according to security officials.

Imam Hossein was martyred after he flatly refused to give allegiance to the oppressive Umayyad caliph, Yazid.

His martyrdom took place on the tenth of the Muslim month of Muharram, known as Ashoura, in 680 AD.

He was martyred along with 72 of his loyal companions in the tragic massacre at Karbala.

Nearly 14 centuries later, millions of Muslims around the world commemorate the occasion every year.

A large number of Iranian Shiite pilgrims flocked into Karbala, some 110 km South of Baghdad, and into Kadhmiyah in Northern Baghdad to commemorate Ashoura day, Thursday, which marks the death of Imam Hossein who was killed and buried in Karbala in 680 AD. Numbers of black-clad men, young men and children, waving green, black and red flags, and accompanied by drummers, marched through the streets of Karbala and Kadhmiyah. Some pilgrims beat their chests and heads in honor of Imam Hossein who was killed in the battle of Karbala in the seventh century and since then became a key moment in Shiite history and religion. Thousands of Iraqi security troops manned dozens of checkpoints and patrols across Baghdad and thousands more of security members with hundreds of civilian guards, recruited by Shiite clerics, were deployed in and around the city of Karbala to protect the worshippers, according to security officials. Imam Hossein was martyred after he flatly refused to give allegiance to the oppressive Umayyad caliph, Yazid. His martyrdom took place on the tenth of the Muslim month of Muharram, known as Ashoura, in 680 AD. He was martyred along with 72 of his loyal companions in the tragic massacre at Karbala. Nearly 14 centuries later, millions of Muslims around the world commemorate the occasion every year.