Baghdad, Feb 26 (AP) Thousands of pilgrims dressed in black made their way on foot towards a gold-domed shrine in northwestern Baghdad on Saturday, part of a weeklong procession to commemorate the death of a revered figure in Shiite Islam.

Most streets in the Iraqi capital were closed due to the large number of pilgrims descending on Baghdad from mainly southern and central provinces. Tents were set up along the route leading to the shrine of Imam Moussa al-Kadhim, who died at the end of the eighth century.

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A high number of Iraqi security forces were deployed to protect the annual pilgrimage, expected to culminate Sunday morning. The event usually draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from around the world each year to Baghdad. Very few pilgrims wore masks.

Vehicles were banned in the mainly Shia area of Kadhimya, where the shrine is located. The religious festival marks the anniversary of the death in the 8th Century of Moussa al-Kadhim, the seventh of the 12 Shiite imams.

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The march comes amid Iraqi frustration with political leaders who have been unable to form a government, more than four months since Iraqis voted in general elections.

Political disputes between Iraq's main Kurdish and Shia political parties have hindered the government formation process. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)