Millions of Shi'ite Muslims gather for Arbain holy day
- 10 years ago
ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)
Shi'ite Muslims massed in their millions in and around the holy city of Kerbala on Saturday (December 13) for the culmination of one of the biggest events of their religious calendar as Iraqi security forces sealed off the city to protect pilgrims.
A rocket landed in the city on Friday (December 12) night, sparking brief alarm, killing one resident of Kerbala with police saying that the rocket was fired from north of the city, an area where radical Sunni Islamic State fighters have battled Iraq's army and Shi'ite militia.
The streets of Kerbala, 110 km (68 miles) southwest of Baghdad, were packed with pilgrims -- waving green, black and red flags -- arriving for Arbain, which marks the last of 40 days mourning for the death 1,300 years ago of Imam Hussein.
Arbain has been a frequent target of militants since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein, who banned Shi'ite rituals.
Some 40,000 Iraqi poli
Shi'ite Muslims massed in their millions in and around the holy city of Kerbala on Saturday (December 13) for the culmination of one of the biggest events of their religious calendar as Iraqi security forces sealed off the city to protect pilgrims.
A rocket landed in the city on Friday (December 12) night, sparking brief alarm, killing one resident of Kerbala with police saying that the rocket was fired from north of the city, an area where radical Sunni Islamic State fighters have battled Iraq's army and Shi'ite militia.
The streets of Kerbala, 110 km (68 miles) southwest of Baghdad, were packed with pilgrims -- waving green, black and red flags -- arriving for Arbain, which marks the last of 40 days mourning for the death 1,300 years ago of Imam Hussein.
Arbain has been a frequent target of militants since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein, who banned Shi'ite rituals.
Some 40,000 Iraqi poli