W/S Pilgrims in street

M/S A pilgrim on horseback

W/S Pilgrims in street

C/U Young child

W/S People near Shrine of Hussein ibn Ali

W/S Shrine of Hussein ibn Ali

W/S People in street

M/S Drummers

M/S Procession

M/S Man in procession

W/S Procession

M/S Procession

W/S A group of pilgrims

M/S People playing instruments in procession

M/S People playing instruments in procession

W/S Procession

C/U Drummer

M/S Flagellates marching

W/S Shrine of Hussein ibn Ali

SCRIPT

Millions of pilgrims from around the world poured into the Iraqi city of Karbala Saturday to mark Ashura, one of the most important holidays for Shiite Muslims.

For Shiites, Ashura marks the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad who was martyred in 680 AD in the Battle of Karbala. Sunnis refer to Ashura as the "Day of Atonement" and celebrate it as the day the Israelites were freed from the Egyptian pharaoh in the Biblical Old Testament (an event known as "Firaun").

Located in central Iraq, Karbala has previously been threatened by Sunni Islamic State (IS; formerly ISIS and ISIL) forces. The group has been active in the city of Ramadi, roughly 150 kilometres (93 miles) to the northwest.

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