Al-Sudani, Directs Security Forces to Secure Pilgrims' Routes and Ensure Smooth Transportation as the Arbaeen Pilgrimage Reaches Its Peak

Baghdad-INA

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, issued today, Thursday, tdirectives to all security agencies as the climax of the fortieth visit reached, stressing the importance of raising readiness to confront any security breach and quickly address it.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Media Office, received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), stated that “Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani visited the headquarters of the Joint Operations Command, to follow up on the security plan for the fortieth visit, during which he chaired a security meeting that included the Minister of the Interior and the Deputy The Commander of Joint Operations, the commanders of the Federal Police, the Ground Forces, the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the rest of the security formations.”.

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani, today, Thursday, visited the Joint Operations Command headquarters to follow up on the security plan for the Arbaeen pilgrimage. He chaired a security meeting attended by the Minister of Interior, the Deputy Commander of Joint Operations, and the commanders of the Federal Police, Ground Forces, Popular Mobilization Forces, and other security formations.

Prime Minister Al-Sudani also held a video conference with the governors of Karbala, Najaf, Babil, and Baghdad to discuss the implementation of the security and service plan in their respective provinces, which are central to the Arbaeen pilgrimage due to the large number of Husseini processions and pilgrims walking to commemorate the event, which is reaching its peak in these days. The governors of Babil and Karbala presented updates on the service plan's implementation, with Prime Minister Al-Sudani commending the efforts made over the past month to ensure the safety of the pilgrims and the general public.

Prime Minister Al-Sudani highlighted the sacrifices, generosity, and service shown by Iraqis from various social backgrounds, starting from the provinces at the entry points and continuing along the routes to Karbala and Najaf. He noted the capability of state institutions to manage the massive crowds with a high level of security, services, and ease of movement, creating a sense of reassurance among citizens that they are in the hands of effective institutions. He emphasized that the government has established a High Committee for Multimillion Pilgrims Events.

The Prime Minister further explained that the Arbaeen pilgrimage is reaching its peak these days, requiring a primary focus on security, intensifying intelligence efforts, and high-level coordination among various agencies. He stressed that the success of the security plan is key to the success of all other plans and emphasized the need for high readiness to address any security breaches swiftly.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces directed all security agencies tasked with securing the pilgrimage to overcome bureaucratic obstacles in security operations, maintain control along the routes taken by pilgrims between provinces and leading to Karbala and Najaf, and to oversee all security details on the ground to preserve the results of the extensive efforts made.

Regarding transportation, Prime Minister Al-Sudani directed efforts in Samarra, Babil, and Najaf to complete the achievement by facilitating the transport of pilgrims to the provinces or to border crossings, with the provision of a large number of buses and the facilitation of private sector vehicles. He stressed the need to maintain the same level of effort and enthusiasm until the conclusion of the pilgrimage and to ensure the smooth flow of traffic in the central Euphrates provinces, taking firm action against any violations, particularly regarding officials' convoys, with immediate legal action against offenders.