Eid al-Adha, not to be confused with a second Eid holiday known as Eid al-Fitr, honours the decision made by the Prophet Abraham, or Ibrahim, to sacrifice his son to show his loyal commitment to God. The festival’s main theme is a universal call for forgiveness.

In past years, Iraqis have been hesitant to take to the roads during the holiday because of security concerns. The relative stability this year, however, allowed many to travel across the country to spend the holy days with relatives and loved ones.