Azerbaijanis Observe Ashura Rites

Thousands of people gathered in the Azerbaijani town of Nardaran on December 16 for the Shi'ite Ashura festival marking the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in the 7th century Battle of Karbala. During the Ashura rites, some believers flail themselves to express mourning and remorse for being unable to save Imam Hussein.