Iraq: Karbala's Holy Abbas Shrine releases visitor figures covering past 11 years

KARBALA, Iraq — The authority overseeing the Imam Hussein Shrine in Karbala has released visitor figures for the holy city covering the last 11 years, including 2024, according to a Tuesday statement. The Abd al-Jabbar al-Awaji Holy Shrine Authority published the annual average numbers of visitors who arrived for the 40-day commemoration rituals. Official records show that some years saw increases in visitor numbers while others saw declines. The authority said fluctuations in the figures were driven by security conditions, pandemic-related restrictions and border crossing procedures. During the city's busiest days, the authority reported, millions of pilgrims were hosted. The statement added that the data was being shared with the public in line with transparency principles, and that the numbers would be used as a reference for planning logistics and services in the city. No further details on the specific annual totals were immediately available.