in Sulaymaniyah and Duhok

Two Killed, Five Injured in Separate Road Accidents across Kurdistan Region

2025-05-14 | 13:55

SULAYMANIYAH / DUHOK — Two people were killed and five others injured in separate traffic accidents reported Wednesday in Sulaymaniyah and Duhok governorates, according to local traffic officials.

In Sulaymaniyah, one person died and three others were injured in a collision between a Kia pickup truck and a cargo truck on the Kalar–Darbandikhan road, near the village of Pongala. Jasim Mohammed, head of Darbandikhan’s traffic department, told 964media, “The accident occurred near the village of Pongala, where the road becomes a single direction.

A collision happened between a Kia pickup truck and a cargo truck, and one person died.” He added that the Kia was carrying four people. “The driver died, and the other three passengers were injured,” he said. The pickup was heading toward Kalar, while the cargo truck was en route to Darbandikhan. An investigation is ongoing.

Earlier that morning in Duhok governorate, another fatal crash occurred near the main road by Mamlyan Camp in Akre district. According to Azad Taha, a traffic official in Duhok, who posted on his official Facebook page, “At 8:15 a.m. today, two vehicles collided on the main road near Mamlyan Camp in Akre district.” He confirmed that one person was killed and two others were injured in the crash.

Authorities in both areas have opened investigations into the incidents.

The Kalar–Darbandikhan road in Sulaymaniyah governorate is notorious for its high rate of traffic accidents and fatalities, earning it the nickname “Death Road.” Despite its dangers, the Kalar–Darbandikhan road remains the main route to the Parwezkhan border crossing in the Garmian autonomous administration with Iran. The road has been undergoing reconstruction since 2011 to expand it into a four-lane highway, but progress has been slow, with only 83% completion reported as of August 2024. It is a heavily traveled corridor, especially by large trucks and cargo vehicles, making it one of the busiest and most accident-prone roads in the region.

In 2023, traffic incidents were the leading cause of death in Sulaymaniyah governorate, accounting for nearly 25% of the 592 total deaths examined, with over 83% of the victims being male.