Teenage girl killed while handling father’s pistol in Al-Khalis

DIYALA — A teenage girl in the Ninth grade died on Monday in the village of Al-Tahweela, located in Diyala’s Al-Khalis district, after accidentally discharging her father’s pistol while handling it, according to a security source who spoke to 964media.

The source stated that the girl accidentally fired a bullet from the weapon, resulting in her immediate death.

The victim’s body was transferred to the forensic medicine department for examination.

Security authorities have launched an investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.

Years of conflict in Iraq have resulted in the widespread circulation of firearms, with many citizens owning weapons without official licenses. There have been consistently calls for stronger gun control measures to address ongoing violence.

The Iraqi government launched a nationwide gun buyback program last year. Muqdad Miri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, previously stated that 697 centers across 15 governorates are being prepared to facilitate firearm purchases from citizens. He noted that the government has allocated an initial budget of up to one billion dinars (approximately $750,000) for each governorate, with two billion dinars allocated specifically for the capital.