January 07, 2009	Wednesday	Muharram 09, 1430

KARBALA, Jan 6: Shias in their hundreds of thousands crowded the streets of Karbala on Tuesday, many beating their own backs with metal chains as the annual Ashura ceremonies began building towards a peak.

The shrine city south of Baghdad was heavily guarded as devotees from across the Muslim world flooded through security checkpoints to reach two imposing shrines — one to Imam Hussein, the other to his half-brother Imam Abbas.

The rituals commemorating the shahadat of Imam Hussein by armies of Yazid in 680 will reach their climax in Karbala on Wednesday, but processions marking holiest Muharram days have been held across Iraq for the past week.

Around two million people are expected to be in Karbala, 100 kilometres south of Baghdad, by Tuesday, guarded by a heavy security force deployment.

“More than 28,000 security forces including back up troops from the interior ministry (police) in Baghdad were sent to control the security of the city,” military commander Brigadier General Othman Qanimi said earlier this week.

Huge numbers of jumpy police patrolled the streets while at checkpoints near the centre of the city pilgrims were subject to intensive searches.

Above, helicopters were seen crisscrossing the sky.

Akil al-Khazali, governor of Karbala province, said more than 55,000 foreigners had already arrived from countries such as Iran, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan and Tanzania.

Swarming crowds in Karbala on Tuesday joined sombre processions in which men and even some boys, accompanied by drummers, beat their chests and engaged in the devotional self-flagellation that characterises the Ashura rituals.

Tents and small wooden rooms covered in black fabric and adorned with lights and pictures have sprung up across the city for pilgrims in need of food or seeking a rest from the intense bustle of the streets.

“I dreamed since my childhood of seeing Karbala, and now my childhood dream has come true,” said Kossid Akhour, 50, a pilgrim from Pakistan dressed in black robes, the colour of mourning.—AFP