The Iraqi city of Karbala Attracted 22 Million Pilgrims this Year

Arbaeen marks the end of the 40-day mourning period for the killing of Imam Hussein -- a founding figure in Shiite Islam and grandson of the Prophet Mohammed -- by the forces of the caliph Yazid in 680 AD. More than 2.6 million pilgrims have flown into Iraq or crossed its land borders since Arbaeen began this year, according to figures issued on Friday by Iraq's interior ministry. Road accidents are a recurring accompaniment to Arbaeen, which concludes Wednesday-Thursday this year.