Shia Muslim pilgrims commemorate Arbaeen in Karbala

In one of the world’s largest gatherings, hundreds of thousands of Shia Muslims mark Arbaeen in Iraq’s Karbala.

Hundreds of thousands of Shia Muslim pilgrims have converged on the Iraqi city of Karbala to commemorate the Arbaeen, the end of the 40-day mourning period for the death of Imam Hussein, Prophet Muhammad’s grandson.

Pilgrims on Tuesday beat their heads and chests in ceremonial rituals around the city’s iconic Imam Hussein Shrine.

The pilgrims arrived in Karbala from Baghdad, Basra and other parts of the Shia Muslim world, most of them walking long distances as part of the pilgrimage.