Iraq sentences ISIS member to life for Arbaeen attacks

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council on Sunday sentenced an ISIS member to life imprisonment for setting fire to several Hussaini processions during the 2025 Arbaeen pilgrimage in Karbala.

Arbaeen, one of the world’s largest religious gatherings, marks the 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad who was killed in the Battle of Karbala. Each year, millions of pilgrims travel to the city to participate in the commemorations.

According to the council, investigators uncovered a mobile phone belonging to the convict containing videos of the arson attacks, along with audio recordings and messages exchanged with ISIS members abroad. He had also filmed himself within the Hussaini processions, ‘’seemingly to highlight the group’s presence in the holy city and spread fear among pilgrims.’’

Although ISIS was defeated in Iraq in 2017, remnants of the group remain active, primarily in the rugged areas of Kirkuk and Saladin, including the Al-Shay Valley (Wadi al-Shay). Since early 2025, Iraqi forces have intensified counterterrorism operations in these regions, targeting senior ISIS figures and dismantling sleeper cells.

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