50,000 pilgrims arrive in Karbala

KARBALA / IraqiNews.com: An estimated 50,000 visitors have arrived in the city of Karbala in anticipation of the Ashuraa pilgrimage and amidst tight security measures imposed by the local police. “Karbala has completed all preparations for the Ashuraa visit. A state of alert has been announced as of today to provide all services for the visitors,” Karbala Governor Aqeel al-Khazalaani said during a joint press conference with operations Commander Othman al-Ghanemi, which was attended by IraqiNews.com news agency. Meanwhile, Ghanemi said that 28,000 police and army personnel have been deployed in the city as part of a security plan to protect the pilgrims. Karbala, with an estimated population of 572,300 people in 2003, is the capital of the province and is considered to be one of Shiite Muslims’ holiest cities. The city, 110 km south of Baghdad, is one of Iraq’s wealthiest, profiting both from religious visitors and agricultural produce, especially dates. It is made up of two districts, “Old Karbala,” the religious centre, and “New Karbala,” the residential district containing Islamic schools and government buildings. At the centre of the old city is Masjid al-Hussein, the tomb of Hussein Ibn Ali, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad by his daughter Fatima al-Zahraa and Ali Ibn Abi Taleb. Imam Hussein’s tomb is a place of pilgrimage for many Shiite Muslims, especially on the anniversary of the battle, the Day of Ashuraa (10 th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar). Many elderly pilgrims travel there to await death, as they believe the tomb to be one of the gates to paradise. On April 14, 2007, a car bomb exploded about 600 ft (200 m) from the shrine, killing 47 and wounding over 150. SS (S) 1