Najaf’s shrine renovated;
pilgrims start visiting Thursday
By Sameer
Allo
The damage sustained by Imam Ali’s shrine in the holy
city of
Najaf, one
of the most revered sites for Muslim Shiites, was the scene of a three-week
fierce fighting last month.
The
fighting between US-led forces and militiamen of the Shiite cleric Moqtada
al-Sadr inflicted heavy damage to the city, particularly the old quarters.
But Zurqi
said provincial municipal workers and reconstruction teams sent by the central
government have cleaned the debris and restored services.
“The old
city and the shrine of Imam Ali will be ready to receive visitors from inside
In the
months after the removal of Saddam Hussein’s regime, Najaf was booming and
slowly turning into a major tourist attraction with visitors pouring from
around the world.
Scores of
hotels and restaurants were under construction and business roared across the
city’s small shops serving the influx of tourists.
The
fighting was a setback and has deterred visitors, both Iraqi and foreign.
The
repairs, officials say, have given a new face to the shrine as wealthy Shiites
across the world made handsome donations for the repairs.
The
government had also allocated millions of dollars to compensate families
affected by the fighting and restore public services.
