Bagdad - At least one million Shiites gathered on Tuesday around the golden dome shrine commemorating a prominent Shiite religious figure in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

The shrine is to Imam Mussa al-Khadim, whom Shiites regard as a saint. Faithful religious Shiites gather in the sacred shrine and perform rituals of beating their heads with their hands and dancing in circles.

The number of visitors reached its peak on Tuesday. Thousands of Iraqi forces along with US reinforcements were deployed in the area amid heightened security as Kazimiyah was the site of previous attacks on pilgrims.

Meanwhile, a team of female guards were deployed for the first time to search women.

Security forces have also imposed a curfew on vehicles for a day starting from 5 am on Tuesday.

Sunni insurgents have often targeted Shiite religious festivals. On Monday, three female suicide bombers killed 19 people, while another 43 people were injured in the lethal attacks.

The eighth century saint was the seventh Shiite imam. (dpa)