KARBALA, Iraq — Ali Jaafar was all set to cross around 125 kilometers (78 miles) from his residence in al-Diwaniya city, south of Baghdad, to the holy city of Karbala on the holy day of Arbaeen to commemorate the death of Shiite Imam Hussein Bin Ali.
Imam Hussein was buried in Karbala after his murder in 685 A.D. by Yazid ibn Mouawiya’s army in the Battle of Karbala. Shiite Muslims from around the world perform a yearly pilgrimage on foot, weep at his grave and vow to defend his principles on Arbaeen. Thousands of people, including men, women, children and even handicapped people, participate in the annual event that has been celebrated since 2003. Before then, the pilgrimage was forbidden by Saddam Hussein’s regime.