More than a million Arbaeen pilgrims entered Iraq so far through land and air ports: Al-Waeli announces

Baghdad-INA
The head of the Border Crossings Authority, Omar Al-Waeli, announced on Monday, that more than one million Arbaeen pilgrims have entered so far through land and air ports, while he expected an increase in the number of visitors compared to previous years.
 
Al-Waeli said in a video statement, followed by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), "We visited yesterday, Sunday, the Al-Mundhiriya border crossing, as part of a series of field visits to see the reality of the work of the departments present at the border crossing, and to ensure the implementation of the plan prepared by the government and under the direct supervision of the Prime Minister and Minister interior, Chairman of the Supreme Security Committee.”
 
He added, "There is coordination at a high level in all operating departments and reinforcement coming from the rest of the ministries represented by the Ministries of Defense and Interior, the security services and the Popular Mobilization Forces, where efforts joined in order to ensure the entry of visitors easily and with high service," pointing out that "there are buses inside the port and the nearby squares to transport visitors towards the holy Karbala.
 
Al-Waeli pointed out that "there is high coordination with the Iranian side regarding pilgrims," stressing that "the number of arrivals through land ports and airports since the beginning of the visit on August 17 until yesterday exceeded one million foreign pilgrims."
 
He continued, "The number of arrivals through the Munthiriya border crossing has exceeded 100,000.”
 
Al-Waeli indicated that "there are measures prepared by the government, the Ministry of Interior and the Border Crossings Authority regarding the entry of visitors," pointing out that "the entry of foreign pilgrims of other non-Iranian nationalities is through the Al-Shayeb border crossing, while the rest is through Baghdad and Al-Najaf international airports and the five federal land ports and three border in the Kurdistan region.”
 
Al-Waeli expressed his thanks to "all the security, intelligence and service forces," praising "the role of the governorates in developing infrastructure and preparing roofs and cabins."
 
He stressed that " There will be a significant increase in the number of pilgrims this year compared to previous years, due to the great facilities and services provided by the Iraqi government."