Iraq procession clip misrepresented as sectarian clashes in Nepal
- Published on August 12, 2026 at 12:14
- 2 min read
- By Akshita KUMARI, AFP India
Clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups in Nepal in late July 2026 left three people dead -- and triggered the spread of a clip that had been misrepresented as a village burned down by rioters. The video depicts a dramatic street performance during a religious procession in Iraq, the person who filmed it told AFP.
"A violent clash broke out between two communities over the playing of DJ music and the hoisting of flags during a Kanwar Yatra on the night of July 26, 2026, in Dewanganj Rural Municipality of Nepal's Sunsari district," says part of a Hindi-language Instagram post shared August 2, 2026.
The featured video shows women in burqas apparently crying as flames engulf several tent-like structures in an open area.
Text overlaid on the clip says: "In Nepal, two Hindu youths carrying Kanwar were killed by a Muslim man; subsequently, Hindus burned down the entire Muslim village."
A kanwar is a decorated bamboo pole with two water pots tied to its ends, which is carried during the annual Hindu pilgrimage Kanwar Yatra (archived link).
The video was shared elsewhere on Facebook and on Instagram and X as sectarian unrest gripped southern Nepal, leaving three people dead and multiple towns under indefinite curfew (archived link).
The violence was triggered by disputes over loud music and religious flags during a Hindu procession, leading to aggressive confrontations between Hindu and Muslim groups (archived link).
However, the clip is unrelated to the turmoil in the Himalayan nation.
A reverse image search using the clip's keyframes found a higher-quality version shared on Instagram on June 26 by Iraq-based photographer Ali Shahid (archived link).
"The video was filmed in Iraq and depicts the procession commemorating the Ahl al-Bayt (Ashura); it does not show any violence or the like -- it is simply a reenactment," he told AFP on August 7.
Iraq's Shia broadcaster Karbala TV published corresponding footage of the procession (archived link).
Ashura refers to the Muslim holy day of mourning for the death of Hussein, a key figure in Shia Islam. Shia Muslims worldwide marked Ashura in June 2026 (archived link).
The emotional event commemorates the 7th-century battlefield martyrdom of Hussein, whom Shiites view as the rightful successor to the Prophet Mohammed, the issue at the heart of a schism with Sunni Islam (archived link).
To mourn his death in the year 680, Shiite worshippers wearing black cry and beat their chests in unison and some flagellate themselves with swords and knife-edged chains.
Dramatic street theatre performances and fire-lit processions are also staged in some places (archived link).
Further searches found similar clips shared by another Iraq-based Instagram user (archived here and here).
The Arabic-language caption reads: "On the 10th day of Muharram, the largest Ashura procession took place in Souq Al-Shuyukh, Nasiriyah, as part of the 'Martyr of Friday' Hussaini procession."
AFP has previously debunked other false claims about religious violence in Nepal.
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