Baghdad, Iraq: Third martyrdom anniversary of Ayatullah Sayyed Muhammad Baqer Al-Hakim, chairman Supreme Council of Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI) and son of grand marje of Shiia world Ayatullah Al-Uzma Sayyed Mohsin Al-Hakim (late), was observed in Iraq.

A grand memorial ceremony was held at Al-Hakim office in Baghdad that was attended by many devotees of martyr Ayatullah Baqer Al-Hakim from across the country besides religious, political and social personalities. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Iraqi Vice President Adel Abdul-Mahdi and member of Iraqi parliament delivered their addresses on this occasion.

To mark the martyrdom anniversary of Ayatullah Sayyed Muhammad Baqer Al-Hakim, thousands of devotees marched through Baghdad on Wednesday to demand an end to the violence that is ravaging the country.

Ayatullah Baqer Al-Hakim along with dozens of worshippers was martyred in August 2003 in a bomb blast outside the holy Shrine of Amir-ul Mo’minin Al-Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (peace be on him) in the holy city of Najaf.

Addressing the ceremony, Sayyed Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim, Ayatullah Baqer Al-Hakim’s younger brother and present chairman of the SCIRI, called for setting up of resident committees to help security forces to curb the violence.

"We have to benefit from this wide popular base, and the state and Iraqi people should form these popular regional committees from the best of our young men to face terrorism, they will defend people of districts; Sunnis, Shias, Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen. They do not differentiate between anybody," Al-Hakim said.