Bus Fire Kills 21 Pilgrims in Southern Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A bus fire on a major highway in southern Iraq killed 21 people and injured 19 others on Wednesday, according to officials. The bus was carrying pilgrims returning from Karbala when it caught fire on the road connecting Basra and Dhi Qar provinces. The incident has drawn renewed attention to road safety challenges across Iraq. Official data indicates traffic accidents kill approximately 2,700 people and injure more than 11,000 others in the country each year. The number of registered vehicles has surpassed 7 million, straining existing infrastructure. The Ministry of Interior said radar and smart camera systems have reduced accident rates by up to 50 percent on main routes between Baghdad, Karbala, Babil and Najaf. Former Transport Minister Selam al-Maliki said more than a third of accidents result from human factors, including excessive speed, non-compliance with traffic rules and phone use while driving. He also cited road maintenance deficiencies, inadequate night lighting and faulty engineering as contributing factors. Ali Sheikh Khalis al-Barzenji, a member of parliament's Transportation, Communications and Governance Committee, said the losses necessitate a comprehensive review of the traffic file.