Pilgrims in this Shiite Muslim holy city will stage more demonstrations against the US occupation of Iraq and against US-backed opposition leader Ahmed Chalabi, a pilgrimage organiser said this evening.
"Peaceful demonstrations were be held today, others will be held tomorrow against the United States and Chalabi," said Sheikh Raed Haidari from a committee overseeing a mass pilgrimage underway in Karbala.
"We refuse occupation, we want an elected government that represents the people," he said.
The pilgrimage is to commemorate the 40th day after the decapitation of imam Hussein in 680 by an Omeyyad caliph in Karbala, 80 kilometres (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad.
The organising committee is supervised by the Shiite religious leaders of the city which hosts Hussein's mausoleum.
Groups of pilgrims shouted slogans demanding the withdrawal of the US troops who ousted President Saddam Hussein.
AFP