Death of Five Suicide Bombers Who Intended to Attack Pilgrims in Karbala

Iraqi security sources say that "five suicide bombers who intended to attack pilgrims in Karbala" were killed after a confrontation with the "Hezbollah Brigades" in the country. Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) and Iraq's "Sumaria" reported that the "Hezbollah Brigades" of Iraq, a Shiite militia group, killed these "suicide bombers" on Wednesday morning, December 2. According to an Iraqi security source, the clash between these individuals and the militia group lasted for more than an hour, and the movement of pilgrims was proceeding without any problems. The report added that on Tuesday, Iraqi forces also managed to kill "two other suicide bombers who intended to harm the pilgrims." The Baghdad Operations Command also reported the "neutralization of a third suicide bombing attack against pilgrims during the past two days." This comes as a suicide bombing in Baghdad on Monday resulted in the deaths of nine people who intended to participate in the Arbaeen ceremony, with 21 others injured. The Arbaeen ceremony is a special event commemorating the fortieth day after the death of Hussein ibn Ali, the third Imam of Shiites, along with several family members and companions, 13 centuries ago. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians and other Shiites have participated in this ceremony in recent years. Meanwhile, an unspecified number of Iranians have traveled to Iraq without visas in recent days. In this context, Mostafa Qasemi, head of the Iranian Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization's office in Iraq, stated on Tuesday to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) that "more than 20 Iranians have been arrested for illegally entering Iraq by the country's security forces." Mr. Qasemi emphasized that "anyone who enters Iraq without a visa will be arrested and treated as a criminal by the Iraqi judicial system." This statistic comes as the head of the Iranian Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization previously reported the detention of "200 to 300 Iranians" in Iraq for entering the country without a visa. Hassan Qashqavi, Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, had also previously warned that "entering Iraq without a visa can lead to six years of imprisonment." The Iraqi Ministry of Interior has recently criticized Iranian officials for the influx of Iranian pilgrims without visas at the country's borders, clashes with Iraqi border guards, and damaging border barriers.