(13 Dec 2014) Tens of thousands of Iraqi Shiite Muslims on Saturday marked the end of the Arbaeen festival in the holy city of Karbala.
The event is a 40-day mourning period commemorating the seventh century death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, the Shiite saint Imam Hussein.
The pilgrims visited the holy shrine of Imam Hussein and were beating their heads with their hands to show grief and sadness for Hussein's death.
Security was tight as many of the pilgrims made the 80 kilometre (50 mile) journey from Baghdad and other provinces, escorted by armoured vehicles, soldiers and ambulances.
Governor of Karbala province Akeel al-Turaihi said the pilgrimage was a victory over the Islamic State group.
''We think that the successes of this visitation (pilgrimage) is one of the chapters of victories achieved by our armed forces and volunteers against IS,'' al-Turaihi said.
Imam Hussein was killed - along with approximately 70 followers - by an army of Umayyads, their rivals for leadership of the Muslim community, during a battle in 680 AD.
The celebration of Arbaeen reached its climax on Friday and Saturday when the pilgrims arrived in Karbala, where Imam Hussein and his half-brother Imam Abbas are buried.
Insurgents have previously staged attacks on Shiites during Arbaeen.
On Friday, mortar fire targeting a Shiite mosque has killed eight worshippers in Muqdadiyah, a town 90 kilometres (60 miles) north of Baghdad.
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