Kurdistan PM orders tighter safety measures at Halabja tourist sites after child drowning

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has ordered relevant public institutions to tighten security measures at tourist areas near rivers, dams and other water sources in Halabja province, his office said in a written statement on June 18, 2026. The directive follows the recovery of the body of Ruqayya, a tourist child who drowned in Halabja. Barzani thanked local residents who helped locate the child's remains and commended what he described as the community's efforts in recent days. He also offered condolences to the family. The statement drew attention to a pattern of drowning incidents in the province and called on citizens and tourists to comply fully with the new safety instructions to protect their own lives. No further details on the case or the planned security measures were immediately available.