10 Million Iraqi Pilgrims in Karbala

About 10 million Iraqi pilgrims have gathered in the holy city of Karbala to mark Arbaeen, one of the most important events in the Muslim religious calendar. Arbaeen marks 40th day of mourning for the third infallible successor of Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be upon Him and His Progeny), Imam Hussein (AS), which follows Ashura, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein. As the 10 million pilgrims have already arrived in the city for the event, the number of the pilgrims is expected to rise to 14 million during the day. 
Tens of thousands of Iraqi policemen and soldiers have been deployed in and around Karbala to thwart any possible insurgent attacks during the ceremony, after three straight days of attacks against pilgrims. 
Meanwhile, the Muslim nation of Iran is also mourning Arbaeen across the country.

Bomb blast kills at least 30 in Iraq

Iraqi police say at least thirty people have been killed and scores of people wounded in an attack south of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. 

The suicidal attack took place in the town of Iskandiriyah forty kilometers south of the capital on Friday. 

The incident comes a day after an explosion in the holy city of Karbala left at least 12 killed and 49 others injured. 

At least sixteen people were also killed on Wednesday after two explosions ripped through a bus station in a Shia neighborhood in Baghdad. 

A roadside bomb blast claimed the life of a Shia pilgrim and left eight other people injured south of Baghdad on the same day. 

Explosions, rampant throughout war-battered Iraq, claim civilian lives and leave many others wounded almost every day in the country.