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Middle East
Shia pilgrims flock to holy city of Karbala
Hundreds of thousands of Shias celebrate birth anniversary of Imam al-Mehdi amid threats of violence.
Last Modified: 07 Jul 2012 03:35

Hundreds of thousands of Shia pilgrims have converged on the holy city of Karbala in Iraq, for one of their most important annual gatherings - the birth anniversary of imam al-Mehdi 12 centuries ago.

But with the country in the middle of a political crisis, many fear their security can't be guaranteed.

Al Jazeera’s Jane Arraf reports.

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Al Jazeera
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