Over 20 Million Pilgrims Gather in Karbala as Arbaeen Reaches Its Peak

Over 20 Million Pilgrims Gather in Karbala as Arbaeen Reaches Its Peak
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Iraq’s Arbaeen pilgrimage reached its peak in Karbala as more than 20 million pilgrims gathered to commemorate Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), with Iraqi authorities praising the success of this year’s operations and announcing the start of preparations for next year’s pilgrimage.

The annual Arbaeen pilgrimage reached its peak on Tuesday in the holy city of Karbala, where millions of pilgrims from across Iraq and around the world converged to commemorate the fortieth day after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) at the holy shrines of Imam Hussein and his brother Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas (peace be upon them).

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Office announced that this year’s Arbaeen pilgrimage has attracted more than 20 million pilgrims, noting that the figure remains preliminary as visitors continue to arrive.

The city experienced exceptionally high numbers of pilgrims, with major roads leading to the holy shrines crowded as visitors continued to perform pilgrimage rituals. Thousands of Husseini processions and volunteer groups remained active across Karbala, providing food, drinking water, accommodation, medical care, guidance, and other essential services.

Iraqi security, health, transport, and municipal authorities maintained maximum operational readiness throughout the pilgrimage, implementing coordinated plans to ensure public safety, manage crowd movement, and support the millions of participants.

During a high-level meeting attended by ministers, provincial governors, and senior security officials, the Iraqi Prime Minister commended the efforts of the holy shrines, Husseini processions, security forces, volunteers, and government agencies for successfully serving pilgrims over the past 15 days. He also directed authorities to begin planning immediately for next year’s Arbaeen pilgrimage.

Officials reported that more than 10,000 vehicles, including nearly 3,000 large buses, were deployed to facilitate transportation and support the safe return of pilgrims. Cleanup campaigns and public services will continue until the last pilgrim has returned home safely.