50 dead and injured in Iraq shopping mall fire: Governor - Region
"The number of victims has reached about 50 people, martyrs and injured, in the tragic fire at a major shopping centre," Wasit province governor Mohammed al-Miyahi told the official INA news agency.
The blaze at the Hyper Mall broke out late Wednesday, but the cause has yet to be identified, said Miyahi.
Ambulances were still transporting casualties as late as 4:00 am, filling beds of a hospital in Kut, about 160 kilometres (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad.
An AFP correspondent said the mall had opened just five days ago. Initial reports suggested the fire started on the first floor.
The correspondent reported seeing charred bodies in hospital.
Miyahi declared three days of mourning in the province and said local authorities would file a lawsuit against the building and mall owner.
Follow us on:
Short link:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
5 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Drone strikes target army celebration in central Sudan: Witnesses - War in Sudan
Drone strikes targeted the Sudanese town of Tamboul, southeast of the capital Khartoum, on Wednesday during a celebration organised by the army, two witnesses told AFP. One Tamboul resident said chaos had erupted in the central square where "hundreds of people had gathered" for the ceremony as air defences responded. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the strikes, the first in Al-Jazira state in months, and neither the army nor its paramilitary foes issued any comment. Al-Jazira was Sudan's pre-war agricultural heartland. It had been largely calm since the army recaptured it from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in January in the same counteroffensive that saw it retake Khartoum in March. According to the United Nations, around a million people have returned to their homes in Al-Jazira since January. Wednesday's celebration in Tamboul was due to be attended by Abu Aqla Kaykal, the commander of the Sudan Shield Forces, an armed group currently aligned with the regular army which has been accused of atrocities while fighting on both sides of Sudan's devastating war. His defection back to the army's side late last year helped pave the way for its gains of recent months. Since it began in April 2023, the war between the regular army and the RSF has killed tens of thousands of people and driven millions from their homes. The army now controls the centre, north and east of Sudan, while the RSF hold nearly all of the west and parts of the south Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Israel assassinates Al Jazeera reporter Anas Al-Sharif among 5 journalists in Gaza - War on Gaza
The Israeli army killed five Al Jazeera journalists, including prominent correspondent Anas Al-Sharif, along with a sixth freelance journalist in a targeted strike on their media tent outside Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Al Jazeera correspondents Anas Al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa were in a tent for journalists at Al-Shifa Hospital's main gate when it was struck, the Qatar-based network reported. Another local freelance reporter, Mohammad Al-Khaldi, was also killed in the airstrike, medics at Al-Shifa Hospital said on Monday. Al Jazeera condemned Israel's "targeted assassination" of its five journalists as a heinous crime and "yet another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom." Shortly after the strike, the Israeli army confirmed that it had targeted Anas Al-Sharif. The attack was the latest to see journalists targeted in the 22-month Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, with around 200 media workers killed, according to media watchdogs. In a Telegram post, the occupation army claimed that Al-Sharif served as the head of a terrorist cell in the Hamas organization, reflecting a broader Israeli pattern of labelling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence. Rights advocates insist that Al-Sharif had been targeted for his frontline reporting on the Gaza war and that Israel's claim lacked evidence. Al Jazeera reported that the Israeli strike had killed seven people in total. It initially said four of its staff had been killed, but revised it to five a few hours later. Al-Sharif's nephew, who was with him to learn journalism, was killed as well. Mourners carry the body of Palestinian reporter, Anas al-Sharif, during his funeral in Gaza City. AFP In 2023, Israeli forces bombed Al-Sharif's home in Gaza's Jabalia refugee camp and killed his 65-year-old father, Jamal Al-Sharif. "The order to assassinate Anas Al-Sharif, one of Gaza's bravest journalists, and his colleagues is a desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza," Al Jazeera said in its farewell statement. Al-Sharif, 28, was one of the channel's most recognizable faces working on the ground in Gaza, providing daily reports in regular coverage. He appeared to be posting on X in the moments before his death, warning of intense Israeli bombardment within Gaza City. Fully aware of the dangers of working as a journalist in Gaza, Al-Sharif had prepared what he described as his "final will" to be published in the event of his death. "If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice," Al-Sharif said in his final message, which appeared on his social media after the airstrike. 'Do not forget Gaza, and do not forget me in your sincere prayers,' he concluded. This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice. First, peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings. Allah knows I gave every effort and all my strength to be a support and a voice for my… — أنس الشريف Anas Al-Sharif (@AnasAlSharif0) August 10, 2025 In July, the Al Jazeera Media Network, along with the United Nations and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), issued separate statements warning that Al-Sharif's life was in danger and calling for his protection. Back then, the CPJ issued a statement accusing the Israeli military's Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee of stepping up online attacks on Al-Sharif by alleging that he was a Hamas fighter. Following the attack, the CPJ said it was "appalled" to learn of the journalists' deaths. "Israel's pattern of labelling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom," said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah. "Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted. Those responsible for these killings must be held accountable," she added. The Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate also condemned the assassination as a "bloody crime." The deadliest war for journalists With Gaza sealed off by the Israeli authorities, many media groups around the world depend on photo, video, and text coverage of the conflict provided by Palestinian reporters. In early July, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said more than 200 journalists had been killed by the Israeli army in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, including several Al Jazeera journalists. In August 2024, Ismael Al-Ghoul was hit by an Israeli airstrike as he sat in his car; a harrowing video shared on social media showed his decapitated body. Cameraman Rami Al-Rifi and a boy passing on a bicycle were also killed. According to the International Federation of Journalists, the Israeli war on Gaza has been the deadliest conflict on record for journalists. The situation is dire for the journalists who are still in Gaza. Besides the airstrikes, there is the threat of starvation. In July, the BBC and three news agencies — Reuters, AP, and AFP — issued a joint statement expressing "desperate concern" for journalists in the strip, who they say are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families. International criticism is growing against Israel over the plight of the more than two million Palestinian civilians in Gaza, with UN agencies and rights groups warning that a famine is unfolding in the territory. Israel's genocidal war on Gaza has so far killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Iraq toughens stance against paramilitary force after Baghdad clash - Region
The Iraqi government toughened its stance on Saturday towards the Tehran-aligned Hezbollah Brigades, announcing that some members would face trial over a recent deadly clash while others were stripped of their commands. The decision follows an attack on a government office in south Baghdad late last month that killed three people, including a policeman, and which the authorities blamed on the group. Like other armed groups trained by Iran during the war against the jihadist Islamic State group (IS), the Hezbollah Brigades were integrated into the regular security forces as part of the Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilisation) force. However, the faction has developed a reputation for sometimes acting on its own. Iraq's Joint Operations Command previously said that more than a dozen suspects were detained over the July 27 attack on an agriculture ministry office, which was prompted by the sacking of the director. Saturday's government statement said the suspects were "fighters belonging to Hezbollah Brigades and affiliated to Regiments 45 and 46 of the Hashed al-Shaabi". It charged that the attack on the ministry's office had been led by the former director. "In addition to being implicated in several cases of corruption", the suspected ringleader stood accused of "falsifying official documents, certificates and contracts so that farmland could be confiscated from its legitimate owners", the statement said. The government said it regretted "command and control failings within the Hashed al-Shaabi" and condemned the "presence of armed factions which do not respect military rules and procedures". The authorities announced the "dismissal of the commanders of Regiments 45 and 46" and the prosecution of "everybody implicated" in the case. A security official speaking on condition of anonymity said 25 people faced trial -- the Hezbollah Brigades fighters and the former head of the ministry office. The group says many of those detained had nothing to do with last month's clash. The case comes amid deep divisions in Iraq over a proposed law that would further formalise the role -- and perhaps, the autonomy -- of the Hashed al-Shaabi. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the proposed legislation "would institutionalise Iranian influence and armed terrorist groups undermining Iraq's sovereignty". Formed in 2014 when Iraqis were urged to take up arms against IS, the Hashed now counts more than 200,000 fighters and employees, and wields major military and political clout. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
