Photos: Millions of Shia pilgrims mass in Iraqi city for Arbaeen

About 21 million Shia pilgrims from around the globe gathered within the Iraqi metropolis of Karbala on Saturday for the Arbaeen commemoration, which marks the tip of the 40-day mourning interval for the seventh-century killing of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

The annual occasion sees women and men from throughout Iraq and past journey to Karbala, the place Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas are buried, for one of many world’s largest spiritual gatherings.

After two years marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and border restrictions, 21.2 million pilgrims flocked to town in central Iraq this week, stated the organisation that manages Abbas’s mausoleum.

Amongst them are 5 million foreigners, together with a document of greater than three million from neighbouring Iran, in accordance with authorities within the two international locations.

The pilgrims waved black flags and banners bearing the picture of Hussein.

This 12 months, the commemorations are being held towards the backdrop of a political disaster in Iraq.

Clashes between the 2 principal Shia factions – the pro-Iran Coordination Framework and a bloc loyal to influential chief Muqtada al-Sadr – have prevented the institution of a coalition authorities.

The disaster escalated into violence in late August, when al-Sadr supporters clashed with the military and forces from the Hashd al-Shaabi, former paramilitaries built-in into the common army.

Greater than 30 al-Sadr followers have been killed.