Traffic accident kills three in Erbil

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Two vehicles caught fire in Erbil early Thursday after a collision, killing several people, according to the governor.

"Three people lost their lives in the accident," Governor Omed Xoshnaw told Rudaw. 

The crash, which occurred on the Erbil–Kirkuk highway, involved three vehicles: a private car, a truck, and a tanker. Two of the victims were in the private car, while the third was the truck driver. The tanker’s driver and passenger survived.

"We wanted to rescue the victims, but the severity of the accident and the size of the fire prevented us," an eyewitness told Rudaw. 

Due to the severity of the accident, the bodies were completely burned and were sent to Erbil's forensic department.

Traffic police have launched an investigation into the accident.

In a similar incident, on Tuesday, a traffic accident killed three people in Sulaimani city. 

Car accidents are a common occurrence in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, where years of war, neglect, and corruption have affected its infrastructure. Roads are often riddled with potholes and lack proper illumination, making it difficult to see when driving at night.

At least 40 people were injured, and several were killed in a devastating traffic accident last month in Iraq’s southern Basra province during the million-person Arbaeen pilgrimage, one of the world’s largest annual religious gatherings.

Traffic accidents in the Kurdistan Region have decreased by 50 percent, and traffic-related deaths by 60 percent, following the implementation of highway point-to-point radar systems, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced late September.