Iraq: 17 Million Shia Pilgrims Enter Karbala for Arbaeen Ceremony

Khalid al-Obeidi, the Iraqi Minister of Defense, stated that the number of pilgrims in Karbala for the Arbaeen ceremony commemorating the martyrdom of the third Imam of Shia Muslims has reached a record 17.5 million this year. According to AFP, 4.5 million of these pilgrims are from 60 different countries, and 13 million are Iraqi nationals. Arbaeen is an annual event held on the fortieth day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein in the desert of Karbala, and it is one of the largest religious ceremonies belonging to Shia Muslims. This year, Arbaeen falls on December 13. Iranian media have reported the presence of 1.2 million Iranian pilgrims at this event. On Thursday, December 20, AFP reported that Iraqi officials faced challenges in confirming the exact number of Iranian pilgrims due to the high figures. Previously, media from Iraq reported that the Iran-Iraq border in the city of Mehran in Ilam province was closed by Iraq due to a 'lack of facilities' for the influx of Iranian pilgrims on the other side of the border. Aqil al-Turaihi, the governor of Karbala, told AFP that the massive influx of pilgrims was predictable, as they view this act as a defiant stand against the extremist terrorists of ISIS. ISIS, which later changed its name to the 'Islamic State,' has taken control of significant parts of Iraq and Syria since the summer of this year, with reports of widespread massacres of Shia Muslims by them. Al-Turaihi stated that the large number of pilgrims has led Iraqi officials to reconsider security plans for Karbala and open new routes for pilgrims to travel to the city. Karbala is located 70 kilometers from Baghdad, the capital of Iraq. Several weeks ago, ISIS forces were defeated in the Jurf al-Sakhar area along the Karbala-Baghdad route. Hassan al-Rashed, the Iraqi Minister of Communications, stated that all areas surrounding the city of Karbala are currently under the control of government forces, and the last defeat of ISIS in the Jurf al-Sakhar area was carried out by the 'Badr' forces of Iraq with the help of Iran. In previous years, Shia pilgrims have often been targeted by suicide bombings and bombings during the Arbaeen ceremony in Karbala, but this year, very few reports of such attacks have emerged. In this context, following the crowding of Iranian pilgrims, Iraq closed the Mehran border.