As fighting between extremist insurgents and the Iraqi army continues throughout Iraq, Shiite fighters took to the streets this weekend to demonstrate their commitment to defending the country, the capital and their religious shrines. Dressed in militant uniforms and brandishing their weapons, the Shiites put out an impressive show of force in cities such as Baghdad, Najaf and Karbala.
The Shiites have pledged aid to exhausted Iraqi government forces, who have been battling militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham for more than two weeks. ISIS recorded another major gain on Monday, when Sunni tribes announced they were negotiating to hand over the only major border crossing between Iraq and Jordan to the militants.
Iraqi Shiite fighters parade with their weapons on June 21, 2014 in the capital, Baghdad. (ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters parade with weapons and national flags on June 21, 2014 in the capital, Baghdad. (ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters parade with their weapons on June 21, 2014 in the central Iraqi Shiite city of Karbala. (MOHAMMED SAWAF/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters wearing mock explosive belts, parade on June 21, 2014 in the central Iraqi Shiite city of Karbala. (MOHAMMED SAWAF/AFP/Getty Images)
An Iraqi Shiite fighter flashes the sign of victory as he parades with weapons on June 21, 2014 in the central Iraqi Shiite city of Karbala. (MOHAMMED SAWAF/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters parade with their weapons on June 21, 2014 in the central Iraqi Shiite city of Karbala. (MOHAMMED SAWAF/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters parade with their weapons on June 21, 2014 in the central Iraqi Shiite city of Karbala. (MOHAMMED SAWAF/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters parade with their weapons on June 21, 2014 in the capital, Baghdad. (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters parade with their weapons on June 21, 2014 in the capital, Baghdad. (ALI AL-SAADI/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters parade with their weapons on June 21, 2014 in the capital, Baghdad. (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters, loyal to Muslim Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, take part in a parade on June 21, 2014 in the shrine city of Najaf, in central Iraq. (HAIDAR HAMDANI/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters, holding national flags take part in a parade on June 21, 2014 in the capital, Baghdad. (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters , loyal to Muslim Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr take part in a parade on June 21, 2014 in the shrine city of Najaf, in central Iraq. (HAIDAR HAMDANI/AFP/Getty Images)
Iraqi Shiite fighters, loyal to Muslim Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr take part in a parade on June 21, 2014 in the shrine city of Najaf, in central Iraq. (HAIDAR HAMDANI/AFP/Getty Images)