Shafaq News- Baghdad

A total of 4,887,660 foreign visitors had entered Iraq as of Sunday night since the start of the Islamic month of Muharram to take part in the Arbaeen pilgrimage, Iraqi authorities said on Monday, as arrivals continued ahead of the annual commemoration.

The command center overseeing Arbaeen said on Monday that security and logistical plans remain in effect under the direct supervision of Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, with government agencies coordinating operations at border crossings and along major routes.

Observed this year on Aug. 4, Arbaeen marks the 40th day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein bin Ali, the third Shia Imam and grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, and draws millions of Shiite Muslims to Karbala annually, making it one of the largest religious gatherings in the world.

Images captured by Shafaq News during the final days of the pilgrimage showed a steady flow of worshippers at the shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abbas, as security personnel and service teams managed crowds and assisted visitors.

Along the routes to Karbala, volunteers provide meals, drinks, and other services as an expression of devotion and hospitality. The government has allocated 52.5 billion Iraqi dinars ($34.1M) to agencies overseeing the event and the holy shrines, while leasing 2,400 buses alongside state-owned vehicles to transport participants.

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