Kurdistan responds to Wasit fire: Our doors are open

Shafaq News – Erbil/Wasit

On Thursday, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) expressed solidarity with the victims of the devastating fire in Wasit province and pledged immediate support for the wounded.

In a statement, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced that the Region’s Health Ministry and all relevant agencies had been placed on high alert to deliver treatment and emergency assistance. “Our doors are open to those affected by this tragedy."

أصدر رئيس حكومة إقليم كوردستان مسرور بارزاني، بياناً قدّم فيه التعازي بضحايا الحريق المأساوي في الكوت..https://t.co/veSRCgiIl6

— Kurdistan Regional Government (@Kurdistan) July 17, 2025

Earlier, a fire tore through a busy shopping center in the city of Kut. According to the Interior Ministry, 61 civilians were killed—most from smoke inhalation after becoming trapped in bathrooms, while fourteen victims were burned beyond recognition.

Civil Defense teams managed to rescue more than 45 others, however, in what officials described as a “heroic effort.”