Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has declared three days of national mourning “as a condolence for the victims who died in the al-Hamdaniyah fire accident.”
The deadly fire occurred during a wedding reception in the district of Hamdaniya in Iraq’s Nineveh province on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, night.
At least 113 people have been declared dead and more than 150 injured.
The Syriac Catholic Archdiocese of Mosul announced that funeral rites will be held for the victims on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, afternoon at the Resurrection Cemetery in Mosul, the capital of Nineveh governorate.
Meanwhile, at least nine people working at al-Haitham Hall, the banquet hall that caught fire during a wedding reception, have been arrested by security forces from Nineveh governorate.
Major General Abdullah al-Jubouri, Operations Commander in Nineveh, told reporters that those arrested helped to manage al-Haitham Hall.
Al-Jubouri also disclosed that federal security forces are coordinating with authorities in the semiautonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq to arrest the owner of the hall.
Ammar al-Hakim, head of the National State Forces Alliance, a powerful political alliance in Iraq, expressed “great sympathy” to the families of the victims of the deadly Nineveh fire and called on the government to ensure more safety in the country.
“This tragic accident and other similar accidents make us realise the importance of strengthening safety and awareness procedures and emphasising them to the concerned authorities to avoid their occurrence.”
Ammar al-Hakim
Offers Of Condolence
In response to the incident, the EU, UN as well as many countries expressed their condolences.
The European Union delegation to Iraq offered its “deepest condolences,” saying, “Our thoughts are with the families affected by this devastating loss.”
“We stand in solidarity with Iraq and wish a speedy recovery to all the injured,” the delegation noted in a statement.
United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) called the incident an “immense tragedy.”
Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas offered condolences to the Iraqi President, Abdul Latif Rashid, and to the victims of the fire.
Abbas expressed full solidarity of the State of Palestine and its people with “brotherly” Iraq in this “great tragedy.”
Abbas also offered his condolences to Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, stressing his confidence in the ability of Iraq’s leadership, government, and people to confront this tragedy.
Additionally, Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates “expressed its deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the government and people of the brotherly Republic of Iraq.”
The ministry “affirmed the Kingdom’s solidarity with the brotherly Republic of Iraq in this painful tragedy, expressing its condolences to the families of the victims, and wishing the injured a speedy recovery.”
Moreover, The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
“We also wish a speedy recovery to the injured,” it added.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry also expressed its “solidarity” with Iraq, calling the aftermath of Tuesday’s deadly fire “difficult times.”
The ministry’s spokesperson, Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, was quoted as saying that Cairo is extending “its condolences to the Iraqi government and people, as well as to the families of the victims, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.”
Furthermore, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his condolences to his Iraqi counterpart, Abdul Latif Rashid, and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
“It is particularly sad that this tragedy occurred during a wedding,” Putin was quoted as saying.
Putin also wished“for a speedy recovery to all those injured.”
Belgium extended its “heartfelt condolences” to the government of Iraq and its people “for the many lives lost in the tragic fire” in Nineveh.
“Our thoughts are with the families of the victims. Sincere wishes for the swift recovery of those injured,” Belgium’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement posted on social media.
Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani sent his condolences.
