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Iraq: At least 18 dead after accident – many Iranian victims

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Baghdad
At least 18 dead after accident in Iraq – many Iranian victims

Every year pilgrimages to the central Iraqi city of Karbala (symbol image)

© Karrar Essa/ / Picture Alliance

18 people were killed in a serious traffic accident north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Saturday night. Nothing is known about the exact cause of the accident.

In the event of a traffic accident Iraq killed 18 people, mostly pilgrims from Iran. The accident happened on Saturday night north of the capital Baghdad on a road between Dujail and Samarra, as reported by the Iraqi state news agency INA, citing the head of health services in Salaheddin province, Chaled Burhan. According to authorities and hospital information, 15 other people were injured.

Victims come mainly from Iran

Most pilgrims from Iran lost their lives in the “terrible accident,” said Burhan, who spoke of 16 dead and 13 injured in an earlier interim report. The head of the authorities did not provide any information on the course of the accident.

A health official, who wished to remain anonymous, told AFP news agency that two minibuses collided just before midnight. Based on witness statements, it is suspected that one of the drivers fell asleep at the wheel.

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A representative from the local transport authority confirmed this and said one of the minibuses had veered into the oncoming lane. Both drivers were killed.

A hospital worker said the 18 fatalities included 14 Iranians and two Afghans. The other two victims have not yet been identified.

Pilgrims were on their way to the Arbain memorial festival

Millions of Shiites, including many Iranians, make a pilgrimage to the central Iraqi city of Karbala every year. The Arbain memorial festival, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is currently being celebrated there. The festival is celebrated 40 days after Ashura, the festival of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed and founder of Shia Islam.

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The climax of this year’s celebrations will be reached on Wednesday and Thursday. The Iraqi Interior Ministry announced on Friday that since the celebrations began, more than 2.6 million pilgrims have traveled by land or plane.

Pilgrimages in Iraq are repeatedly overshadowed by traffic accidents because the country has poor infrastructure. According to the Ministry of Health, more than 4,900 people died in traffic accidents in Iraq last year – that was more than 13 traffic deaths a day.