TEHRAN—The number of pilgrims visiting the holy city of Karbala has exceeded 14 million, the Karbala governor has said.

“More than 14 million people have reached Karbala so far to participate in the Arbaeen procession,” Mehr quoted Nassif Jassim Al-Khattabi as saying on Monday.

This year’s Arbaeen procession is considered the biggest one held over the past couple of years, Al-Khattabi stressed.

The official added that the Iraqi prime minister directly supervises and monitors the implementation of the plans serving the Arbaeen pilgrimage.

The number of Iranian pilgrims visiting Karbala has soared 12 percent over the past few days compared to the same period last year. “So far, more than 3,350,000 Iranian pilgrims have crossed Iran-Iraq borders, which shows a 12 percent growth year on year,” an Iranian official in charge of the Arbaeen pilgrimage said on Saturday.

Last month, the Iranian ministers of interior and health visited the shared border crossings to inspect the facilities and relief equipment at the border for Arbaeen pilgrims.

The annual pilgrimage marks an end to the 40-day mourning period following the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam, and his loyal companions who were martyred at the Battle of Karbala on Muharram 10, 680 CE.

Arbaeen falls on September 6 this year.

AFM