Friday, September 08, 2006

Eight killed as Iraq Shi'ites converge on festival

KERBALA, Iraq (Reuters) - Mortars killed eight people as hundreds of thousands of pilgrims converged on an Iraqi holy city on Friday for a religious festival where Shi'ite leaders renewed demands for sweeping new powers in their region.

Organizers, who say visitors to Kerbala could reach 2 million by Saturday's climax, said a heavy security presence by police and Iraqi troops had so far succeeded in keeping out the Sunni al Qaeda suicide bombers who have hit previous rituals.

Read the rest at Reuters