Bahrainis Marching to Karbala for Arbaeen Shout Anti-Regime Slogans
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Thousands of Bahrainis who have joined the masses of Shiite pilgrims from around the world to march to the Iraqi holy city of Karbala for Arbaeen voiced their outrage over the Manama regime’s repressive policies.
According to Tasnim dispatches, the Bahraini pilgrims on Saturday carried flags of their country and chanted slogans against the ruling Al Khalifa regime.
One of the Bahraini marchers told Tasnim today that violent crimes are being committed by the Al Khalifa regime against the people of the Persian Gulf country.
The massive influx of pilgrims from around the globe are traveling long routes on foot to Karbala to participate in rituals marking Arbaeen on December 2.
Arbaeen, which is one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the third Shiite Imam, Imam Hussein (AS).
Each year, a huge crowd of Shiites flock to Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites.
Last year, around 20 million pilgrims from all over the world gathered in Karbala to attend the mourning ceremonies marking Arbaeen.
Bahrain, a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region, has been witnessing almost daily protests against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty since early 2011, with Manama using heavy-handed measures in an attempt to crush the demonstrations.
Scores of Bahrainis have been killed and hundreds of others injured and arrested in the ongoing crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations.
