Iraq braces for millions as Shiite pilgrims set to commemorate Imam Hussein's Arbaeen

Shafaq News/ With the 40-day mark since Ashura around the corner, the Iraqi Border Ports Authority announced  heightened readiness in ten checkpoints in preparation for the impending commemoration of Imam Hussein's death in the holy city of Karbala.

With daily inflows already charting between 15,000 and 25,000 pilgrims, authorities are gearing up for an anticipated surge, potentially attracting up to 5 million visitors from across the Gulf, Arab, Islamic, and other countries.

Aladin al-Qaisi, the spokesperson for the authority, highlighted, in a statement to Shafaq News Agency, the all-out efforts underway, emphasizing the coordination between the border agencies and local governments.

This collaboration, according to al-Qaisi, aims to ensure the robustness and sustainability of existing infrastructure and facilitate additional arrangements across all designated ports. Among these, four key border crossings - Safwan, Shalamcheh, Sheeb, and Zurbatiyah - have been operational around the clock to seamlessly accommodate the foreign pilgrims flocking to partake in the solemn observance.

Iraq's Minister of Interior, Abdul-Amir al-Shammari, on Sunday unveiled a comprehensive plan to secure the event. 

The framework is slated to be activated from the 19th of August, corresponding to the 1st of the Islamic month of Safar, and is expected to span till the 20th of Safar, culminating on the 9th of September.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani echoed the sentiments earlier this month, assuring that the government's paramount objective is to ensure the successful implementation of both the service and security strategies crafted for the event.