Officials’ motorcades not allowed in Karbala during Ashuraa

KARBALA / IraqiNews.com: Officials’ motorcades will not be allowed to enter Karbala city during the Shiite celebrations of Ashuraa next Wednesday, the Karbala operations commander said on Sunday . “This decision was effective as of Saturday (Jan. 3) and includes any Iraqi official regardless of his/her position,” General Othman al-Ghanimi said in a press conference that was attended by IraqiNews.com news agency . “We want to preserve security and make sure no gap can be exploited,” he added . “Any official’s motorcade will be stopped by our checkpoints, and then our forces will accompany him/her alone to celebrate the occasion,” he noted . The holy Shiite city of Karbala lies 110 km southwest of Baghdad . MH (P)/AmR 1