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KARBALA, IRAQ - JULY 17, 2024: Thousands of Muslims gathered in Karbala, Iraq, on Wednesday (July 17) to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad, and his 72 loyal companions during the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD.The mourners, dressed in black, participated in a solemn ceremony that included prayers and lamentations.The massacre carries significant importance in Islamic cultures and history, especially among Shia-Muslims, a branch of Islam that follows the leadership of Ali, the Prophet Muhammad's cousin, and his descendants.The battle occurred in 680 AD near the city of Karbala, Iraq, during the month of Muharram on the Islamic calendar. The conflict was between a small group supporting Imam Hussein ibn Ali and a larger force loyal to the Umayyad caliph Yazid I.The ground of the conflict was Imam Hussein’s refusing of the allegiance to Yazid I, citing Yazid's deviation from Islamic principles.Consequently, Hussein and his followers were besieged in the desert near Karbala without water for several days.On Ashura, Muharram 10, they were brutally attacked, leading to the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and most of his male relatives and companions, while the women and children were taken captive.(Footage by Ismael Adnan Yaqoob/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)