Parliament to hold emergency session on Wasit fire and drone attacks in Kurdistan Region

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s parliament will convene an emergency session Monday to address two pressing crises: the deadly fire at a hypermarket in Wasit governorate and a recent surge in drone attacks targeting infrastructure and oil fields in the Kurdistan Region, according to a statement released Saturday by the legislature’s media office.

The session is scheduled for 1 p.m. and will begin with a recitation from the Quran, followed by a general discussion on the Kut fire, which killed at least 61 people late Wednesday. Most victims died from smoke inhalation, with many discovered trapped in bathrooms of the five-story commercial building, which had been open for just one week.

Public anger has escalated in the aftermath, with protesters storming the Wasit governorate headquarters and local council offices on Friday night, calling for the dismissal of senior officials and demanding accountability for the tragedy.

Following the fire discussion, lawmakers will turn to “terrorist attacks involving explosive drones” in the Kurdistan Region. Since the beginning of July, more than 15 drone strikes have hit the region, increasingly targeting critical energy infrastructure and airports

The Kurdistan Democratic Party bloc in parliament had called Thursday for an emergency session to address the mounting security threats posed by the drone campaign.