Authorities in Iraq are working Monday to determine the identities of those killed in a devastating bus accident that claimed 21 lives, according to a provincial official.
The passenger vehicle crashed and caught fire on Sunday in Iraq’s southern region, marking another tragic incident on the nation’s deteriorating roadways.
Ahmad Saleem, spokesperson for the Thi Qar provincial council, reported that fourteen victims were so severely burned they cannot be recognized or identified. He noted that officials suspect two Iranian citizens may be among those who perished, though their remains have yet to be confirmed.
According to Saleem, the bus was making its way from Najaf — a sacred city for Shiite Muslims that draws many religious visitors — toward the southern coastal city of Basra when the accident happened around 3 p.m. on Sunday. The crash took place in Thi Qar province, positioned between Thi Qar and Diwaniyah.
Beyond the fatalities, 20 additional passengers sustained injuries in the wreck. Among the wounded were two Iranian citizens who were transported back to Iran on Monday morning with assistance from the Iranian Consulate in Basra, the official reported.
Saleem blamed the accident on deteriorating road conditions, explaining that local officials had previously identified the roadway as dangerous. He also mentioned that a critical shortage of emergency vehicles in the province made it difficult to respond effectively to the disaster.
Such traffic accidents occur frequently throughout Iraq, where years of war, government corruption and insufficient funding have left the nation’s basic infrastructure crumbling. The country’s roadways lack proper upkeep, many cars and buses are old and unsafe, and traffic laws are rarely enforced.
Last year, another bus filled with religious pilgrims heading to the Iraqi city of Karbala crashed in an area north of Baghdad, resulting in 18 deaths.
