Two dead in vehicle collision near Najaf airport

NAJAF — A car incident involving two vehicles resulted in the deaths of two people early Wednesday morning near the Najaf airport gate, according to a security source.

The collision occurred on the airport road. “Both vehicles sustained significant damage as a result of the crash,” the source revealed.

Authorities confirmed that two individuals lost their lives in the crash. No further details about the victims have been released at this time. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Fatal traffic accidents are a growing concern nationwide, with Iraq recording 3,019 traffic deaths in 2023, nearing the total from the previous year. According to a June report by the Ministry of Planning, driver error accounted for 79% of these incidents.

The ministry also reported 12,314 injuries from traffic accidents in 2023, a slight drop from the 12,677 recorded in 2022. Most accidents involved collisions, followed by pedestrian incidents and vehicle rollovers. Additional contributing factors included vehicle defects, poor road conditions, and pedestrian actions.