Three killed, 23 traffic incidents reported in Sulaymaniyah on first day of Eid

SULAYMANIYAH — Emergency response teams in Sulaymaniyah reported 23 traffic accidents across the governorate on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, resulting in three fatalities, according to Saman Nader, head of Sulaymaniyah Emergency Response.

The Kurdistan Region marked Eid on Sunday, while Sunni and Shia communities in Iraq’s central and southern governorates began celebrations on Monday.

Nader told 964media that eight of the recorded incidents involved motorcycles. “In addition to the three who lost their lives, several others were injured. However, most were discharged quickly due to the minor nature of their injuries,” he said.

He added that emergency teams increased their presence in Dukan, Qaradagh and Sulaymaniyah city on the second day of Eid in anticipation of larger crowds. “It’s common for residents to travel during the holidays, which typically leads to an increase in incidents,” Nader said.

“Unfortunately, citizens did not adhere to traffic regulations, which led to these accidents. We urge everyone to follow traffic laws to avoid such tragic outcomes,” he added.

Traffic-related deaths remain a major concern in the governorate. In the first half of 2024, officials recorded 111 fatalities. In 2023, the Sulaymaniyah Traffic Directorate reported 1,047 traffic incidents resulting in 153 deaths and 1,887 injuries.