Five killed in separate crashes in Salah al-Din and Kirkuk

SALAH AL-DIN/KIRKUK — Two traffic accidents in Salah al-Din and Kirkuk governorates on Monday left five people dead and eight others injured, according to local officials.

In Salah al-Din’s Baiji district, four people were killed and five others seriously injured in a collision involving three vehicles near the Albu Ta’ma area.

“Three vehicles — a Honda, an Opel Vectra, and a Kia — collided. Initial investigations suggest speeding was the main cause,” Brig. Muayyad Abbas, director of Khurmatu traffic, told 964media.

“Among the dead were two of the drivers,” Abbas said. “All five injured passengers were transferred to the hospital.”

The crash occurred on a road connecting Baiji and Tikrit, known locally as the “road of death” due to the frequency of fatal accidents. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

In a separate incident in Kirkuk governorate, a truck collided with a private Mercedes on the Kirkuk–Sulaymaniyah road, killing one person and injuring three others.

“It happened near the village of Chiman in Kirkuk’s Qarahanjir subdistrict. A truck collided with a private Mercedes car, resulting in the death of the Mercedes driver and injuries to three other passengers,” eyewitness Karim Ali told 964media.

A medical source at Kirkuk’s Azadi Hospital confirmed that “the body of the deceased and the three injured, all aged between 18 and 22, were transported to the hospital.” The deceased was identified as Alan Burhani, an 18-year-old university student.

The Kirkuk–Sulaymaniyah Road is a two-lane highway in generally good condition, frequently used by commuters and linking the Kurdistan Region with Baghdad and other parts of Iraq,