KABUL, Feb. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- At least 19 persons were killed and more than 80 others injured Thursday in the traditional Ashura ceremony when Sunni and Shiite clashed in Afghan western province of Herat, local TV station reported.

    "Today is Muslim's traditional Ashura Day when thousands of Shiite Muslims went to the street to hold the ceremony. At about 12 a.m. local time (0730 GMT) a clash broke out between Sunni and Shiite, which led to at least 19 people killed," Afghan National TV said.

    "We have received more than 80 injured persons, and some of them are in serious condition," Dr. Nabi Zirkohi from Herat hospital told Xinhua.

    According to some eyewitnesses, some mosques and cars in the street have been set on fire also. Hundreds of policemen have beensent to the place, and the situation has been controlled.

    The investigation of the reason of the clash is still going on.

    Afghan Shiite Muslims a minority in the Sunni-dominated Islamicstate celebrate this Ashura Day by chest beating and knifing in the capital of Kabul and other big cities on Thursday to commemorate the day.

    Ashura is being observed by Shiite Muslims in the Islamic countries every year to commemorate the martyrs of Prophet's grandson Imam Hussain and his 72 family members and followers in Karbala of Iraq.

    Imam Hussain and all his family members and comrades known as the martyrs of Karbala among the Muslims were murdered by the armed forces of king Yazid 1466 years ago after Hussain termed Yazid's rule as illegal and rejected to make allegiance. Enditem