Iraqi interior minister urges better transport, rest areas for Arbaeen pilgrims

BAGHDAD — Interior Minister Abdul Amir Al-Shammari on Monday chaired a meeting of the service committee overseeing this year’s Arbaeen pilgrimage, calling for urgent improvements to transportation hubs and rest areas for pilgrims making the journey to Karbala.

“The peak of the pilgrimage is rising,” Al-Shammari said during the meeting. “There must be proper organization of transport hubs.”

Arbaeen, observed 40 days after the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, draws millions of Shia pilgrims each year to Karbala. The pilgrimage commemorates Imam Hussein’s death at the Battle of Karbala in 680 A.D. and is one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings.

Al-Shammari emphasized the need to reduce pressure on pilgrims and accommodate their needs. “Transport must be managed correctly to ease the suffering of pilgrims, especially as they need rest after days of travel,” he said. “The main focus of effort should be on moving Arbaeen pilgrims, considering the weather conditions and rising temperatures.”

In the Kurdistan Region, authorities in Soran district continue to receive large numbers of Iranian pilgrims entering through the Haji Omaran border crossing. Over the past five years, Kurdish border points have become increasingly popular routes for Iranian pilgrims heading to Karbala.

In 2023, more than 120,000 pilgrims entered Iraq through Haji Omaran. This year, that figure has already surpassed 100,000.