Karbala or Kerbala is a city in central Iraq, located about 100 km southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh, also know…Karbala or Kerbala is a city in central Iraq, located about 100 km southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh, also known as Razzaza Lake. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 691,100 people.