Thousands of Iraqi Shiite pilgrims are in Baghdad’s Kazimiyah district to visit the shrine of the 7th Holy Imam Musa al-Kadim. The pilgrims come each year to commemorate the imam – one of the most revered figures in the Shiite branch of Islam, who died in 799 AD.
Pilgrims traditionally travel hundreds of kilometers on foot to visit the shrine. Shiites along the route often prepare free food for visiting pilgrims.
Security is tight in the district as Shiite shrines are frequently targeted by Sunni insurgents.
Reporting by Halkawt Aziz