Iraqi Forces Protect Pilgrims At Religious Fest
Megan Shannon - All Headline News Staff Writer Baghdad, Iraq (AHN) - This weekend's religious festival was a good test of the Iraqi security force's ability to deal with insurgency as they protected tens of thousands of attendees. About 7,000 police, 1,800 Interior Ministry commandos, and 2,000 Iraqi soldiers were deployed to Karbala where the festival took place. The forces were stationed at holy sites and city entrances to stop vehicles coming in. Forces will stay on guard until Sunday to ensure civilian safety. Iraqi army Major General Samir Abdullah said, "Our forces have tightened their control on the ground and our only concern now is rockets launched from a far distance." The festival celebrates the birth of 9th century Imam Mehdi. Three million pilgrims were expected to show.
Article © All Headline News - All Rights Reserved
|
