The Iraqi Interior Ministry said Saturday (June 9th) that it has begun deploying thousands of Iraqi security forces members as part of a security plan to ensure the safety of visitors to Baghdad's Imam Musa al-Kadhim shrine.

Col. Hikmat Mahmoud al-Masari, director of media and communications at the ministry, told Al-Shorfa that 42,000 additional security forces members were deployed in the streets of Baghdad to prepare for the arrival of hundreds of thousands of religious and local visitors to the shrine, located in Kadhimiya, northern Baghdad.

The security plan will remain in place until June 25th, he said.

Iraq's Defence Ministry will also monitor Baghdad's skies with surveillance helicopters around the clock, al-Masari said.