15-year-old boy among three killed in crash on Erbil–Kirkuk highway

ERBIL — Three people were confirmed dead following a late-night traffic accident on the Erbil–Kirkuk highway, officials said Thursday. The victims included a 15-year-old boy, an 18-year-old youth, both residents of Erbil, and the driver of a Kia truck whose identity remains unknown.

According to initial reports, a passenger car collided with a fuel tanker and a truck late Wednesday night. The crash was first believed to have left four people dead, but authorities later confirmed three fatalities.

Shakhawan Saeed, spokesperson for Erbil Civil Defense, told 964media that “only three bodies were recovered and transferred to the Erbil forensic department.”

A source at the forensic department said, “Among the three victims, two have been identified — a 15-year-old boy and an 18-year-old young man, both from Erbil. The third victim remains unidentified due to severe burns.”

Tahsin Hassan, the father of the 15-year-old boy, told 964media that his son had gone out briefly before the accident. “It was around 11:10 p.m. when I sent him to buy some supplies from a nearby shop, but he didn’t return,” he said.

He said the family learned of the tragedy by phone. “When we went to the forensic department, my son was identified through his friend’s ID,” Hassan said.

According to him, his son was not driving. “He didn’t own a car,” he said. “His friend was driving, and we were told their car hit another vehicle that had stopped on the road.”

Authorities said the investigation into the crash is ongoing.