Security committee urges safe driving during pilgrimage season

BAGHDAD —  Iraq’s Higher Security Committee for Mass Pilgrimages on Wednesday urged citizens and drivers to adhere to speed limits and ensure their vehicles meet safety standards during the Arbaeen pilgrimage season.

Committee spokesperson Miqdad Miri said in a statement, “We call on all citizens and vehicle drivers to fully adhere to the specified speed limits and avoid driving at high speeds due to the significant risks to their lives and the lives of others, especially amid the noticeable rise in temperatures.”

Arbaeen marks the end of the 40-day mourning period after Ashura, the day Imam Hussein ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. The annual pilgrimage draws millions of visitors to Karbala.

Miri emphasized the need to ensure vehicles meet safety requirements, “particularly by checking tires and making sure they are of good quality and in proper condition, to avoid accidents caused by explosions or damage while driving.”

He added, “Adhering to these guidelines greatly contributes to preserving lives and ensuring smooth traffic flow during the mass pilgrimage season.”

The statement came a day after a bus carrying Iranian pilgrims overturned between the Rumaila area and the Al-Sidra checkpoint in Basra, killing seven people and injuring 43, according to Aqeel Talib Al-Furaiji, chairman of the Basra Governorate Security Committee.