No Bahraini citizen injured in Karbala stampede, says envoy

No Bahrainis were injured in the fatal stampede that occurred among pilgrims in the Iraqi City of Karbala on Tuesday and caused the death of more than 30 pilgrims, it has been confirmed.

The Bahraini Ambassador to Iraq, Salah Al Maliki stated that no injuries or deaths were reported among the Bahraini pilgrims, who were in Karbala to take part in the annual ‘Ashoora’ commemoration. The ambassador said the embassy has been closely following up on the mishap, which took place near the shrine of Imam Hussain on Tuesday.

He said that the embassy has been co-ordinating with the Iraqi Interior and Health Ministries to ensure the safety of Bahraini pilgrims, adding that none of them has been admitted to hospitals there. As reported yesterday, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims take part in the Ashoora commemorations in the City of Karbala. The stampede occurred during one of the rituals performed during this season known as the “Tuwairij run”, which sees pilgrims run-down streets leading to the Imam Hussein Mosque in commemoration of the run from the ancient village of Tuwairij to Karbala.

A total of 31 deaths have been reported by the local authorities, while more than 100 pilgrims suffered injuries. The cause of the mishap hasn’t been confirmed yet, as some Iraqi officials said it happened after one of the pilgrims “slipped and fell” causing the others to stumble down on each other, while another report claims that a part of the walkway collapsed. In 2005, more than 900 pilgrims died in a stampede that occurred in Karbala during the Ashoora commemoration season.

 Meanwhile, in the Kingdom, this year’s Ashoora season was a remarkable success as a result of intensive efforts made by authorities concerned and related organizations. The co-operation between different ministries, mainly the Interior and Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning, and Health also contributed to the success of the religious occasion, the ministry sources said.