ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Authorities in Iraq's holy city of Karbala have announced that a school will be named Halabja in recognition of the humanitarian response shown by the people of the Kurdistan Region's Halabja province following the tragic drowning of an 11-year-old girl from the Iraqi province earlier this month.
The general directorate of education in Karbala decided to name one of the province's schools after Halabja as a gesture of respect and gratitude for the solidarity demonstrated by the province's residents and institutions after the death of Ruqyya Rafidh.
"This initiative comes to honor the humanitarian stance and the great concern shown during the incident, which had a significant psychological and moral impact on Karbala, including its educational circles," Karbala Deputy Governor Ali Mayahi told Rudaw's Gashaw Khalid on Wednesday.
Ruqyya was an 11-year-old girl from Karbala who fell into the waters of Zalim resort in the Hawraman region during a family trip on June 9.
Her disappearance prompted an extensive search operation involving civil defense teams, security forces, local authorities, and hundreds of volunteers from Halabja and Hawraman. After nearly nine days of searching, her body was recovered on June 17 and returned to Karbala the following day in an official ceremony via a special ambulance.
Last week, before her body was transported home, hundreds of residents and officials gathered in Halabja for a farewell ceremony honoring the child.
"This demonstrated the humanitarian spirit of the people of Halabja and Hawraman. Halabja has witnessed immense calamity and suffering. That is why I always say that we feel the pain of others much more than people in other places do," Halabja Governor Nuxsha Nasih said during the ceremony.
"Once again, all of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region became one. We hope this will be a good path toward a peaceful country where we can live in harmony," she added.
Mayahi said the move also aims to strengthen ties between Iraq's provinces.
"The goal of this step is to deepen the values of loyalty and brotherhood and to strengthen social ties between Iraqi provinces, in addition to commemorating the symbolic and historical status that Halabja holds in the conscience of everyone," he added.
The announcement follows an earlier decision by the Karbala governor to name one of the city's main streets Halabja in tribute to the province's humanitarian efforts.
Karbala Governor Nassif Jassim al-Khattabi also praised Halabja's response, extending his "profound thanks and appreciation" to the governor and residents of the province for their "noble humanitarian stance and sincere sentiments."
"Their actions embodied the highest ideals of brotherhood and national unity, emphasizing that the solidarity and cohesion shown toward the family from Karbala reflect the authentic nature of the Iraqi people and their deep-rooted human values," a statement from his office said last week.
Ruqyya's death highlighted a broader safety concern across the Kurdistan Region, where authorities say over 30 people have drowned so far in 2026. Officials have attributed many of the incidents to poor swimming ability, strong currents, unfamiliar waterways, cold water temperatures, and the absence of basic safety equipment.
