Arbaeen Pilgrims Continue March to Karbala as Iraq Expands Transport and Border Services
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\nThousands of pilgrims are continuing their journey toward the holy city of Karbala to commemorate Arbaeen of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), with historic pilgrimage routes witnessing large crowds while Iraqi authorities intensify transportation and logistical preparations to accommodate millions of visitors.<\/p>\n
One of the prominent routes being used by pilgrims is the \u201cScholars\u2019 Road,\u201d which connects Kufa in Najaf province to Karbala and runs through palm groves along the Euphrates River. The route carries historical significance for elderly pilgrims who recall that scholars and visitors used the path during the former Ba\u2019athist era to reach Karbala and perform Arbaeen rituals despite restrictions imposed on religious gatherings.<\/p>\n
According to reports, the road was once narrow and surrounded by palm trees where pilgrims would conceal themselves while making their way toward Karbala. Today, the route has been developed and transformed into a major pilgrimage path lined with Hussaini service processions providing food, water, rest areas and other assistance to visitors.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Najaf province has completed its transportation preparations for the Arbaeen season, allocating more than 5,000 vehicles to facilitate the movement of pilgrims inside the province, toward Karbala, and to border crossings. The Private Transportation Department said the plan includes 5,012 vehicles, including buses, minibuses and passenger cars, operating under coordination with security and traffic authorities.<\/p>\n
Officials said more than 180 transportation staff members are participating in the implementation of the plan, while monitoring teams are supervising vehicle movement and addressing violations. The department reported that dozens of vehicles have been penalized for picking up passengers outside designated transportation points.<\/p>\n
At the Zurbatiyah border crossing in Wasit province, the Border Ports Authority announced that more than 750,000 pilgrims had entered Iraq through the crossing since the beginning of the Arbaeen pilgrimage period. Authority chief Lieutenant General Omar Al-Waeli said the crossing receives around 150,000 pilgrims daily, with procedures continuing around the clock for passport processing, security checks, transportation and visitor services.<\/p>\n
The Iraqi Ministry of Transport has also deployed more than 570 buses as part of its nationwide transportation plan for Arbaeen pilgrims. The fleet includes tourist buses, double-decker buses and King Long buses, supported by technical teams and a central operations room to monitor movement and respond to emergencies.<\/p>\n
With the continued arrival of pilgrims from inside Iraq and abroad, government institutions, holy shrines, service processions and volunteer groups are maintaining extensive preparations to support the annual pilgrimage, which brings millions of visitors to Karbala for the commemoration of Imam Hussein\u2019s martyrdom.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Arbaeen Pilgrims Continue March to Karbala as Iraq Expands Transport and Border Services ——————————– Thousands of pilgrims are continuing their journey toward the holy city of Karbala to commemorate Arbaeen of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him), with historic pilgrimage routes witnessing large crowds while Iraqi authorities intensify transportation and logistical preparations to accommodate millions …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":144312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-144313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-iraq"],"yoast_head":"\n