Karbala Ashura pilgrims filled Iraq’s holy city on Friday, June 26, 2026, as local authorities estimated nearly a million arrivals for one of the country’s largest annual Shia commemorations.
Authorities activated major security, health and crowd-control plans as pilgrims gathered to mark Ashura, which commemorates the killing of Imam Hussein bin Ali, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
Shafaq News cited Karbala Provincial Council member Israa Al-Nasrawi as saying preparations had continued for more than a month. She said medical teams were deployed on routes from Najaf, Baghdad and Babil.
The provincial council expected attendance over the wider commemoration period to rival or exceed last year’s estimated 12 million visitors.
The holy shrines of Imam Hussein and Al-Abbas deployed 10,000 personnel for the Tuwairij Run, including 2,000 staff members and 8,000 volunteers.
Shrine officials also expanded surveillance with more than 4,400 cameras. They organised 831 mourning and service processions and prepared three routes to manage crowd movement.
Black banners lined the city as Husseini mawakib served pilgrims with food, water, rest areas and mourning services. Many residents also opened their homes to visitors.
Authorities mobilised 120 firefighting and rescue teams, 1,350 civil defence personnel, 100 ambulances and 13 hospitals and emergency medical centres.
Read: Ashura 2026 Processions Draw Millions Across World
Public service teams included more than 3,200 sanitation workers, 419 specialised vehicles, over 300 sewage trucks, 57 pumping stations and nine wastewater projects.
The shrines covered 10,000 square metres between the two holy sites with red carpeting. They also arranged about 50,000 meals daily and installed misting fans to help pilgrims cope with the summer heat.
Hussein Al-Shammari, head of the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate’s Karbala branch, said authorities issued 419 media accreditations for 23 television channels, 20 news agencies and 30 foreign correspondents.
