Thousands mourn Iranian general Qassem Soleimani at funeral in Baghdad

The procession began at the Imam Kadhim shrine in Baghdad, one of the most revered sites in Shiite Islam. Mourners marched in the streets alongside militia vehicles in a solemn procession.

Soleimani, the mastermind of Iran's regional security strategy, was killed in a pre-dawn in an airstrike near the city's airport.

Iran has vowed harsh retaliation, raising fears of an all-out war.

In other key developments on Saturday:

• US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Europe had not been 'helpful' enough over the targeted killing.
• NATO has suspended training operations in Iraq
• The US has sent an additional 3,000 troops to neighboring Kuwait.
• Security experts warn that Iran-backed hackers could disrupt the systems of American agencies or companies worldwide in revenge.
• Former militant Moqtada al-Sadr has visited Soleimani's family in Iran

The funeral mourners, mostly men in black military fatigues, carried Iraqi flags and the flags of Iran-backed militias that are fiercely loyal to Soleimani. They were also mourning Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, a senior Iraqi militia commander who was killed in the same strike.