Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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August 26, 2007

Thousands of Shi'ite Pilgrims Descend on Iraqi City of Karbala
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=18FD220:A6F02AD83191E16077C3A5DF5C2EDF749574F7DCC14957C0 Despite massive
security, Baghdad officials say a woman was killed and six people were
wounded in a drive-by shooting





An Iraqi soldier blindfolds a detainee arrested near the city of
Baqouba, some 60 kilometers (35 miles) northeast of Baghdad, Iraq,
Sunday, 26 Aug. 2007Hundreds of thousands of Shi'ite pilgrims are
descending on Iraq's holy city of Karbala for a major religious
festival.

Despite massive security, Baghdad officials say a woman was killed and
six people were wounded in a drive-by shooting as they walked through
southwest Baghdad on their way to Karbala.

On Saturday, an Iraqi military spokesman, Brigadier-General Qassim
al-Moussawi, announced an indefinite ban on motorcycles, bicycles,
handcarts and animal carts in Baghdad and its outskirts.

The ban followed a bomb blast in a Shi'ite district of Baghdad that
killed at least seven people and wounded 30 others.

The measure was taken to prevent attacks on the Shi'ite pilgrims as
they make the 80-kilometer trek to Karbala, south of Baghdad.

The Shabaniya festival marks the birth of Mohammed al-Mahdi, the
twelfth and last Shi'ite imam, who disappeared in the ninth century.

Shi'ites refer to al-Mahdi as the Hidden Imam, believing he will
return to Earth to bring peace and justice. Some information for this
report was provided by AP and Reuters.


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