Baghdad: A three-day vehicle ban and a curfew will be imposed across Baghdad starting on Wednesday night as authorities seek to protect Shiite pilgrims gathering for a major religious festival.
The ban comes as Iraq's prime minister seeks to maintain control of his government, which has plunged into deeper crisis following the withdrawal of nearly half of the cabinet.
Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki flew to Turkey on Tuesday for talks on fighting Kurdish separatist guerrillas who use his country as a base.
Turkish officials are aware that Maliki is in a weak position to deliver on any pledges since 17 ministers have quit or decided to boycott cabinet meetings.
Meanwhile, thousands of pilgrims are expected to converge on the shrine of Imam Musa Kadhim in the northern district of Kadhimiya in the next few days.
Baghdad's chief military spokesman Brigadier General Qassim Moussawi said that a curfew would also take effect from Tuesday night in Kadhimiya.
Last year gunmen ambushed the pilgrims as they walked in their tens of thousands to the shrine, killing at least 20 and wounding 300.
