Over 2.3 million attend Hamanayesh funeral in Najaf, Hashd al-Shaabi says

NAJAF, Iraq — More than 2.3 million people attended a funeral ceremony held in Najaf for Iranian religious leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a statement released Saturday by Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces). The group said initial figures had already passed that mark and that the count was continuing to rise, with convoys still arriving from other Iraqi cities. A wide-scale security and logistical operation was deployed across the city, with security forces and volunteer teams directing crowds and working to keep access to the Imam Ali Shrine clear. The statement described the gathering as one of the largest funeral events Najaf has hosted in recent memory. Large crowds filled the city's main avenues, with participants traveling from various Iraqi governorates, according to the group. Hashd al-Shaabi said mourners were still expected to arrive as the condolence ceremony continues.