Clashes and Air Shooting by Iraqi Army and Hashd al-Shaabi During Arbaeen Pilgrimage; Iraqi Official: No Injuries Reported

Iraqi security officials say that the country's security forces engaged in air shooting during clashes on Thursday in Karbala, ahead of the Arbaeen ceremony, which resulted in no injuries. An Iraqi Interior Ministry official, who requested anonymity, told AFP on Thursday, September 1, that the clashes occurred between the Iraqi army and members of the Hashd al-Shaabi militia. According to this Iraqi official, the clash took place early Thursday in an area about five kilometers from Karbala, as four Hashd al-Shaabi vehicles attempted to pass through a checkpoint set up by the Iraqi army on a street specifically designated for the pilgrims' procession. The Iraqi army prevented the passage of the Hashd al-Shaabi vehicles, and both sides engaged in air shooting, which was reported as 'without causing injuries.' The Arbaeen pilgrimage, commemorating the fortieth day after the martyrdom of the third Shia Imam, has recently been utilized as a propaganda tool by the Islamic Republic, allocating thousands of billions of tomans for this government ceremony amid record levels of poverty and class disparity in Iran. Ali Khamenei has referred to the mass participation in government rallies and the Arbaeen ceremony as a 'referendum' confirming the regime. This comes at a time when the lowest voter turnout has been recorded in the two elections held by the Islamic Republic in recent months, with government statistics showing participation below fifty percent. During this year's ceremony, several attendees have lost their lives in traffic incidents; notably, in one accident, 17 people were killed and injured. Additionally, the Islamic Republic's police reported the overturning of 'a bus carrying Pakistani pilgrims in Yazd,' which resulted in 28 fatalities and at least 21 injuries. The moment of the overturning and severe accident of the Pakistani pilgrims heading to the Arbaeen ceremony in Yazd has been highlighted. The Iranian government is pursuing the Arbaeen ceremony, having spent hundreds of billions of tomans.