Monday, June 8, 2026- At least 21 people have died and 19 others were injured after a passenger bus carrying pilgrims crashed and caught fire on a highway near Nassiriya in southern Iraq’s Dhi Qar province, authorities said.
The bus was returning from pilgrim visits to holy cities such as Najaf and Karbala when the collision occurred on Sunday afternoon, according to health officials.
Iraqi health and traffic authorities confirmed the victims included both Iraqi citizens and foreign visitors, including Iranian pilgrims, as emergency teams rushed the wounded to hospitals for treatment.
Several of the bodies were severely burned and have been transferred to forensic facilities as officials work to identify the deceased.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered a full investigation into the causes of the crash, with initial statements from traffic officials citing factors such as driver fatigue and poor road safety conditions on the highway between Dhi Qar and Basra. The tragic incident highlights ongoing concerns about road infrastructure and transport safety in the region.
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