Iraqi interior minister in Karbala to oversee efforts to ensure Arbaeen security

Iraq’s Interior Minister Qasim al-Araji has traveled to the southern holy city of Karbala to oversee measures taken to ensure security for Arbaeen pilgrims.  

Iraq’s Interior Minister Qasim al-Araji has traveled to the southern holy city of Karbala to oversee measures taken to ensure security for Arbaeen pilgrims.  

According to al-Sumaria news website, he entered Karbala on Saturday evening.

Many Iraqi pilgrims and those from other countries have already began their march toward Karbala more than a week before Arbaeen.

Arbaeen comes 40 days after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of the third Shia Imam, Imam Hussein (AS).

Each year, a huge crowd of Shias flock to Karbala, where the holy shrine of Imam Hussein (AS) is located, to perform mourning rites.

In the past few years, around 20 million pilgrims from all over the world took part in the mourning ceremonies in the Iraqi holy city marking Arbaeen.

This year, it falls on Tuesday, October 30.