Rudaw Baghdad bureau chief Halkawt Aziz dies after highway crash

ERBIL — Halkawt Aziz, a reporter and head of Rudaw Media Network’s Baghdad bureau, died Monday from injuries sustained in a traffic crash on the Baghdad-Basra highway. He was 36. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

Aziz had worked with Rudaw since 2015 and spent nearly 16 years in journalism, previously working for several local and satellite television channels in Kirkuk. He was born in Erbil in 1989 while his family was displaced from Kirkuk.

In recent years he became widely known among audiences in the Kurdistan Region for his coverage of disputes between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government, with many residents following his reporting for updates on salary disbursements and related developments in the federal parliament.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani expressed condolences on the death of Rudaw journalist Halkawt Aziz, describing him as “a skilled, dedicated and active journalist who served the media sector greatly.”

Kurdistan Region Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani said Aziz had worked “as a courageous and dedicated correspondent, striving to convey information from Baghdad honestly.”

The Iraqi Presidency’s Media Office described his death as “a painful loss,” saying he had “contributed to covering events and national issues with professionalism and responsibility, earning the respect of his colleagues and the appreciation of his audience.”

The Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy said Kurdish journalism had “lost another capable journalist,” adding: “The greatest legacy a journalist leaves behind is the truth they worked for and brought to light. Today, we mourn the loss of a dedicated voice.”

This article has been updated