(15 Dec 2010)
Baghdad's Gazaliya neighbourhood:
1. Wide of damaged procession place where pilgrims gathered to mark Ashoura religious ceremony
2. Headline reading ''Haider al-Karar procession''
3. Various of damage and rubbles
4. Various of slippers scattered at the blast site
5. Pool of blood on ground
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Nadhim Ali, resident:
"I was at home when a powerful explosion took place and destroyed the house. I rushed outside my house. I found my wife and son safe. I saw dead and wounded children and the procession was ruined.''
7. Security troops at the site
Baghdad's Kazmiyah neighbourhood
8. Mid of black flags and holy shrine of Imam Khadim in background
9. Close up of black flags
10. Golden dome of holy shrine
11. Security troops
12. Iraqi humvee and troops standing by
13. Wide of pilgrims at the yard of holy shrine
14. Pilgrims entering holy shrine
15. Various of pilgrims walking outside holy shrine
16. Various of people cooking food given to pilgrims free of charge
17. Various of people drinking tea
18. Man pouring tea into kettle
19. Wide of holy shrine
STORYLINE:
Iraqi residents and security troops were on Wednesday assessing the damage caused by a bombing that targeted a Shiite rally marking the Ashoura religious ceremony, killing three people and wounding at least 31 others.
Late Tuesday, roadside bombs struck crowds of Iraqi pilgrims as they prepared to mark the year's most solemn Shiite religious ceremony, killing three people and wounding at least 31, police said.
The blast occurred in the predominantly Sunni neighbourhood of Gazaliya northwest Baghdad.
Hundreds of thousands of Shiites are expected to visit Karbala and other shrines across Iraq in the coming days for the 10-day festival known as Ashoura.
The event marks the anniversary of the 7th century death of Imam Hussein, in a killing that sealed Islam's historic Sunni-Shiite split.
Karbala is located about 50 miles (80 kilometres) south of Baghdad.
Ashoura is expected to peak on Thursday and Friday when the pilgrims - many walking hundreds of miles to reach Karbala - converge on the city.
In Baghdad, dozens of Shiite pilgrims paid a visit to the holy shrine of Imam Kadhim who is one of the infallible and revered imams to Shiite Muslims in the capital to observe the Ashoura ceremony.
Sunni insurgents in Iraq have frequently targeted Shiite religious festivals, and killed thousands of pilgrims since 2004. They have also attacked Iranian pilgrims, very few of whom were allowed to visit Iraq's holy sites under Saddam.
Authorities have beefed up security around Karbala, including imposing a vehicle ban that forces pilgrims to enter the city on foot.
Additional checkpoints have been erected at several entrance points and 28-thousand police officers have been deployed to search the pilgrims at various points leading up to the mosque where Imam Hussein is buried.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
