Millions of mourners from Iraq and abroad pack the Iraqi holy city of Karbala on Saturday to mark the blessed martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) grandson, Imam Hussein (AS) on Ashura.

Millions of mourners from Iraq and abroad pack the Iraqi holy city of Karbala on Saturday to mark the blessed martyrdom of the Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) grandson, Imam Hussein (AS) on Ashura.

At mosques and shrines, loudspeakers blared Ashura chants across Karbala city, 80 km (50 miles) south of Baghdad, where hundreds of thousands of pilgrims dressed in black gathered outside the golden-domed Imam Hussein (AS) shrine waving green flags representing Islam and red flags for the blessed Imam Hussein's martyrdom.

The ceremonies concluded with the masses running from an area called Twerej 20 km east to Karbala towards the city of Karbala and specifically towards a spot called the camp (Al-Mukaiyam). The so-called Twerej Run marks the end of Ashura rituals, Alalam news website reported.

Since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, Ashura has become a date to renew the pledge of allegiance and loyalty to Imam Hussein (AS).

The gatherings of millions for the Ashura religious commemoration passed without violence on Saturday under tight security imposed for fear of attacks by the so-called 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) takfiri group.