Turkish president commemorates historical martyrdom of Imam al-Hussein

ANKARA

Türkiye's president on Friday commemorated the historical martyrdom of Imam al-Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Mohammad who was killed in the year AD 680 during the Battle of Karbala, in what is now Iraq.

"I congratulate our nation and the Islamic world on the Day of Ashura, and I pray that the month of Muharram will bring peace and blessings to all humanity," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Twitter/X.

The 10th day of the Islamic month of Muharram, also known as Ashura, marks the anniversary of the passing of Mohammad’s grandson Hussein in the desert plains of Karbala, some 113 kilometers (70 miles) from the modern-day capital Baghdad.

Erdogan also commemorated Al-Hussein and all the martyrs of Karbala with mercy.

Al-Hussein, along with 72 loyal companions, was killed in the infamous Battle of Karbala in year 61 of the Islamic calendar by the forces of Umayyad Caliph Yazid I on the 10th day of Muharram.