Mother and daughter killed in collision near Haditha refinery

ANBAR — A woman and her daughter were killed and three other family members injured Thursday in a head-on collision between a Toyota Corolla and a fuel tanker near the Al-Haqalania railway junction in Haditha district, according to witnesses and medical officials.

The crash occurred as the tanker was exiting the Haditha refinery. Witnesses said the Corolla’s driver veered into an under-construction lane and collided with the oncoming tanker.

“The crash was severe,” said eyewitness Mohammed Al-Bayati. “The Corolla crossed into the under-construction lane at the moment the tanker exited the refinery, resulting in a head-on collision.”

Al-Bayati added that traffic accidents are common in the area due to a sharp bend in the road just beyond the refinery gate and the ongoing construction of the second lane.

A medical source at Haditha Hospital told 964media that the bodies of the woman and child were brought to the emergency room. Two other family members, described as being in critical condition, were transferred to Ramadi Hospital for further treatment, while the father remains at Haditha Hospital in moderate condition.

Road fatalities remain a major concern across Iraq. The Ministry of Planning recorded 11,763 traffic incidents in 2024 across all governorates except those in the Kurdistan Region. Of these, 2,103 were fatal, resulting in 2,719 deaths — a slight drop from 3,019 in 2023. Men accounted for 82% of the fatalities, or 2,235 deaths.