Shiite Muslims observe Ashoura rituals in Iraq

Shiite Muslims have gathered in Baghdad's Sadr City to take part in Ashoura commemorations, with participants seen performing self-flagellation as expressions of mourning over the death of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, who was killed at the Battle of Karbala.

Shiite communities across the world marked Ashoura on June 25, a sacred occasion that symbolises sacrifice and martyrdom, Caliber.Az reports, citing the AP.

This year's observance carries added significance for many following months of conflict in Iran and Lebanon.

Ashoura commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, who was killed alongside members of his family and companions during the Battle of Karbala in A.D. 680 after refusing to pledge allegiance to the Umayyad caliphate.

The events at Karbala deepened the division between Sunni and Shiite Islam and continue to serve as a lasting symbol of resistance against oppression and injustice.

Observed on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar, Ashoura is the most important religious observance for Shiite Muslims in Iraq and many other parts of the world.

Imam Hussein's death in Karbala in A.D. 680 occurred during a conflict over the leadership of the Muslim community and remains one of the defining events in Shiite history.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov