(23 Jan 2025)
IRAQ PILGRIMAGE PREPARATIONS
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
LENGTH: 2:52
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Baghdad, Iraq – 23 January 2025
1. Various of Shiite pilgrims walking toward shrine of Imam Musa al-Kadhim, a revered eighth-century religious figure
2. Various of people walking past security forces
3. Various of visitors getting searched at checkpoints
4. Various of security personnel searching visitors’ bags
5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Brig. Abbas Hamid, head of media at the Baghdad Operations Command:
"An integrated security plan has been prepared and reinforced with an intelligence, service, and media plan. These plans have identified the routes that the visitors will be moving along to fully secure them. It will also involve the deployment of our intelligence and security personnel in civilian uniform to handle any negative incidents or issues that might happen during the million-man procession."
6. Visitors passing by food station set up on road
7. Various of volunteer making sandwiches for visitors
8. Various of visitors eating
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Mohammed Karim, visitor:
"The security forces including national security, Intelligence, federal police and all other levels of state (security) are deployed along the road, from start to finish. There are medical units along with security personnel, and I pray to God that he protects them all. Honestly, without them, this visit wouldn’t even happen."
10. Ambulance
11. Various of medical staff providing services for visitors
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Haydar Ahmad, volunteer medic at the Iraqi Red Crescent:
“We are providing ambulance services for the on-foot visitors of Imam Musa al-Kadhim, peace be upon him. We have medical units, ambulance vehicles and mobile clinics set up from the start to the end of the road leading to Musa al-Kadhim (shrine) to provide ambulance services and medical services."
13. The twin golden domes of the shrine of Imam Musa al-Kadhim and Imam Muhammad al-Jawad
14. Various of visitors walking, with the shrine in the background
STORYLINE:
Thousands of Shiite pilgrims from across Iraq and beyond have turned up in Baghdad for ceremonies marking the death of a revered eighth-century religious figure.
The pilgrims traditionally make a trek on foot to the shrine of Imam Musa al-Kadhim in the northern neighborhood of Kadimiyah.
The worshippers walk for hours, and often for days, from across the country to reach the mosque, known for its twin golden domes.
The mosque was built atop what were believed to be the tombs of al-Kadhim and his grandson.
Iraqi forces have tightened security measures around the shrine, blocking most of the main roads and deploying police forces on a wide scale.
Ambulances and mobile clinics have been set up along the road to provide services to the pilgrims.
"There are medical units along with security personnel, and I pray to God that he protects them all. Honestly, without them, this visit wouldn’t even happen," said Mohammed Karim, a visitor.
The revered Imam Musa ibn Jaafar al-Kadhim, who died in 799, was the seventh of 12 principal Shiite saints.
The dayslong procession honoring al-Kadhim will reach its peak on Sunday.
AP video shot by Ali Jabar
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/e118687f5d284743bfb710cd20e282cb
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in January 28, 2025, 3:05 pm.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
