KABUL - Ashura rituals were held across Afghanistan yesterday and passed peacefully, according to local media reports. Hundreds of people turned out to donate blood in hospitals in Kandahar and Faryab provinces to mark the holy day.

The RTA Kandahar reported that the Shia mourners donated 125 litres of blood to the blood bank of the Mirwais Hospital in respect of the day, the last day of the 10-day ceremony.

Kandahar Governor Dr. Toryali Wesa, Ulema (religious scholars) and other officials participated in these proceedings and spoke of the importance of the day, besides highlighting the need to stand up to any oppression and brutality.

In Maimana, the provincial capital of Faryab, 50 people donated blood to the blood bank of local hospitals, according to RTA Faryab. “I am very happy to see that our Shiite and Sunni brothers are attending the Ashura mourning together and the people are donating blood to the victims in the hospitals,” Nasim Hussaini, a mourner in Maimana, told the RTA Faryab.

Government officials participated in a similar event in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of Balkh Province.

Source: Local media (RTA Kandahar, RTA Faryab, RTA Balkh)