Five killed in separate car crashes in Nineveh and Sulaymaniyah

NEWSROOM — Two separate traffic incidents on Tuesday night claimed five lives, including three women, two men, highlighting ongoing concerns over poor infrastructure and road safety in Iraq.

The first accident occurred on the Tal Afar-Sinjar road in Nineveh, where a Nissan pickup truck collided with a truck, resulting in the deaths of two women and one man. The truck driver sustained injuries in the crash. Eyewitness Nazeer Khalaf described the accident to 964media, explaining that the collision happened when the Nissan attempted to overtake the truck on a narrow, single-lane road. “This route is notorious for its frequent accidents, as it hasn’t been maintained since the fall of the previous [Baath] regime,” Khalaf said. He added, “We face a daily tragedy on this road due to its poor state. We have repeatedly called for its rehabilitation, and we urge authorities again to prioritize its repair to reduce accidents and ensure traveler safety.”

In a separate incident late Tuesday night, a traffic accident occurred on the road in the Takiya sub district of Chamchamal in Sulaymaniyah, where a brother and sister lost their lives. Sharif Rahim, Deputy Director of Chamchamal Health, told 964media that the victims were transported to Chamchamal Emergency Hospital but succumbed to their injuries before reaching medical care. “Their bodies have been handed over to the forensic medical department in Chamchamal,” Rahim said.

The victims were identified as Kurdish siblings, a 38-year-old man and his 39-year-old sister.

Traffic accidents in Iraq have resulted in over 3,000 deaths in 2023, reflecting persistent challenges in road safety across the country. According to the Ministry of Planning, 11,552 traffic accidents were recorded in 2023, marking a slight increase from 11,523 in 2022. These incidents led to 3,262 fatalities and 8,290 injuries. Notably, 81.9% of the deceased were male, and 18.1% were female. The number of injured decreased by 2.9% compared to 2022, with 12,314 injuries reported in 2023.