Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA.ir), Tight security measures have been taken in Iraq as tens of thousands of Shiite pilgrims poured into the Iraqi capital on Wednesday for a major pilgrimage.
The pilgrims travelled to Iraq to mark the martyrdom of Imam Moussa Kadhim, the seventh of the 12 revered Imams in Shiite Islam, whose Mausoleum is in Kadhimiyah, Baghdad.
Hundreds of tents have been erected in Baghdad to feed people as they pour into the city for the event, which reaches a climax on Wednesday night and early Thursday. The mausoleum has previously been targeted by bombers.
Traffic was banned on Tuesday on several bridges spanning the Tigris River, increasing already bad congestion in the Iraqi capital, where traffic control is already complicated by hundreds of security checkpoints.
"Everything is going very well today," Major General Qassim Atta, a Baghdad security forces spokesman said, referring to special safety measures such as road closures put in place to protect worshippers.
"We continue to organize transport for pilgrims and air surveillance for their benefit," he said.
"The movement of motorcycles, bicycles and carts are banned throughout the city until further notice," Atta added, to reduce the risk of small vehicle-borne attacks. Print | Send to friends
End item/ 129
