Iraq’s Hashd Al-Shaabi, Popular Mobilization Forces, has completed extensive preparations to secure the Arbaeen pilgrimage, with forces placed on full alert to protect millions of pilgrims heading to the holy city of Karbala, a senior commander said.
Major General Ali Al-Hamdani, commander of the Middle Euphrates Operations, announced that “all Hashd Al-Shaabi units are at full readiness to carry out the security and service missions foreseen in the Arbaeen plan.”
In remarks carried by Iraqi media on Monday, he stressed that coordination is ongoing with local authorities in Karbala and across the Middle Euphrates provinces, alongside other security agencies, to ensure the smooth implementation of the plan and provide “the best security and service conditions for the pilgrims.”
Al-Hamdani noted that preventive measures had been underway for weeks, including clearing desert areas surrounding Karbala and conducting inspection and identification operations in the Najaf desert to “strengthen security and prevent any potential threats.”
🚨 Military Engineering Battalion begins clearing "Ya Hussein" road to secure Arbaeen pilgrimage route pic.twitter.com/fCrZFJ6rHE
— Middle East Conflict Tracker (@MEC_Tracker) July 28, 2026
The security plan also incorporates advanced technology, including drones and thermal cameras, with Hashd Al-Shaabi units widely deployed along key pilgrimage routes to facilitate the movement of pilgrims and safeguard the commemoration of the Arbaeen pilgrimage, which falls this year on August 4.
Meanwhile, more than 2.1 million pilgrims have already entered Iraq since the start of Muharram, according to the command headquarters overseeing the event, with arrivals continuing through border crossings amid rising numbers.
Pilgrims reach Karbala via multiple routes, with large numbers traveling overland from Iran, while others arrive by air or complete long journeys on foot.
Arbaeen Pilgrims Walk Through Al-Rifai Region in Southern Iraq
— Tasnim News Agency (@Tasnimnews_EN) July 26, 2026
The Arbaeen walk from southern Iraqi cities began on the 25th of Muharram. Al-Rifai is located in Nasiriyah province in southern Iraq. pic.twitter.com/jESImoiBGl
Many undertake the traditional walk of roughly 80 kilometers from Najaf, home to the shrine of Imam Ali (A.S.), to Karbala, while some processions begin from Iraq’s far south, with journeys lasting more than two weeks.
The Day of Arbaeen marks forty days after the Day of Ashura, the day third Shiaa Imam, Imam Hussein Ibn Ali (A.S.), was martyred alomg with his family members and companions in the Battle of Karbala by the army of Yazid, a tyrant and second Umayyad caliph . Imam Hussein (A.S.) was a 7th century revolutionary leader who sacrificed his life for social justice.
The Arabic word Arbaeen translates to forty. The traditional period of mourning in Islamic culture is forty days. As such, millions of people around the world mark the Day of Arbaeen by remembering the story of Imam Hussein (A.S.), his family and his companions.
Source: Iraqi media (translated and edited by Al-Manar)