Today, Tuesday, Ashura, hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and other countries commemorate the anniversary of the killing of Imam Hussein bin Ali (may God be pleased with them) in the city of Karbala (south of Baghdad).

Large numbers of pilgrims, most of whom came from different regions of Iraq, Iran and India, gathered to perform what is known as the "Twirej Run", which is the most prominent ritual commemorating this memory performed by Shiites through processions and rituals taking place in several countries, and it represents a major symbolism in Karbala.

And the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported that the crowds of visitors began yesterday, the ceremony of visiting the tenth of Muharram, amid security and service measures, adding that preparations are in full swing to commemorate the occasion.

The Health and Medical Education Authority at the Imam Hussain Shrine announced that 6 hospitals had been placed at the service of visitors, and that 1,000 doctors and nurses had been deployed in the field, as well as the staff of its affiliated hospitals.

The head of the authority, Dr. Sattar Jabbar Al-Saadi, said - in a press statement - that the authority has started implementing the medical plan for the month of Muharram, starting from the eighth of Muharram to provide the best medical and health services for visitors on Ashura, pointing out that the plan lasts 6 days until the 13th of Muharram.

I extend my sincere condolences to the Iraqi people and the entire Islamic nation on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein - peace be upon him - and his family and companions.

This incident embodied the values ​​of redemption, sacrifice, and steadfastness on principles, and we draw lessons from it to build man and society.

— Mustafa Al-Kadhimi (@MAKadhimi) August 8, 2022

And the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, reassured - in a telephone conversation with the governor of Karbala, Nassif Jassim Al-Khattabi - on the progress of the security and service plans for the tenth of Muharram visit.

Al-Kazemi confirmed his directive to all ministries and federal institutions in order to provide all support and backing to the Karbala Governorate in order to provide services to Ashura pilgrims in Karbala.

For his part, the governor affirmed that "all plans are going very well and as planned."

Part of the Shiite commemoration of the martyrdom of Hussein in front of his shrine in Karbala (European - Archive)

Yesterday, the government media cell announced the mobilization of all government institutions to support the efforts of the "Holy Karbala" governorate in the ceremonial visit of the tenth of Muharram.

The cell stated - in a statement - that "the ministries and government institutions developed their service plans for the visit, under the direct supervision of the senior leadership in them, which was present in the governorate and its outskirts, in order to follow up and organize the work."

The cell indicated that the Ministry of Oil secured 35 million liters of oil derivatives, and 600 tons of liquid gas, in addition to the continuation of the daily quota for the governorate throughout the days of the visit, in addition to the General Company for the Middle Euphrates Electricity Distribution to follow up on mechanisms for providing electrical energy.

She pointed out that the various security services had the most prominent role in strengthening the presence in the governorate and the roads leading to it, as the various security formations contributed to imposing the security of the visit ceremony and the imposition of multiple protection hoops, in addition to securing the types of transportation to transport visitors, reinforced by the support provided by the two General Traffic Directorates. and civil defence.

She added that the Border Ports Authority contributed to strengthening and doubling the effort at land and air ports approved for the entry of visitors from all countries of the world.

She pointed out that the process of support and attribution was coordinated and directly supported by the local government and its service and security departments in the province, the administrations of the Husseiniya and Abbasiya shrines, and the Husseini processions spread along the roads linking Karbala Governorate.