HOLY KARBALA, Iraq: Commemoration of Arbaeen Al-Husseini in the holy city of Karbala which houses the holy shrine of Chief of Martyrs Al-Imam Abi Abdellah Al-Hussein (AS) and his brother and his army’s commander Abi’l Fadhl Al-Abbas (AS) reached on height on froday March 9, Safar 19.

Vast crowds of black-clad mourning devotees thronged shrines.

According to authentic sources more than 5 million Husseini mourners had arrived in the holy city to mark the occasion.

Karbala's Governor Aqil Al-Khazali predicted that mourners’ number could hit six million.

"You can barely see the paving of the streets, which are filled with pilgrims," he declared.

"No security violation has taken place so far inside the holy city," he added, noting that security services were on alert but warning that his office was short of buses to get the pilgrims out of the city afterwards.

On Thursday, US commander General David Petraeus had confirmed that millions were on the move.

Arriving on foot bearing banners and Qurans, many barefoot or carrying out azao latam, the mourners had faced great danger. On Tuesday, 325 of them were martyred by suicide bombers in the town on Hilla.

"Let the world know that we redeem this country and the family of the Prophet. We would not hesitate to walk to the shrine even if blood was shed like rivers. We defy terrorists and their crimes on pilgrims," said Hussein Khadim, who led a procession of mourners from the town of Diwaniyah.