Latest news with #al-Din
Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Iraqi man killed and devoured by pet lion he tried to tame just days after buying it
A 50-year-old man, Aqil Fakhr al-Din, was mauled and partially devoured by his pet lion in Kufa, Iraq, just days after purchasing the animal, according to a report from Al-Ghad newspaper, as quoted by Metro. The incident took place last Thursday when al-Din, who had a history of keeping wild animals, was fatally attacked in his garden. (Also read: Escaped lion enters house, mauls 14-year-old girl to death in Kenya) Al-Din had recently acquired the lion with plans to tame it, housing it in a cage alongside other exotic animals on his property. However, the situation turned tragic when the lion suddenly lashed out. A source told Al-Ghad that the predator lunged at al-Din as he approached the enclosure, biting him in the neck and chest. As per the outlet, the neighbour, hearing al-Din's screams, rushed to his aid, grabbing a Kalashnikov rifle to try to save him. After firing seven shots, the neighbour managed to kill the lion, as confirmed by the Shafaq News Agency. Footage shared on social media shows the lion's lifeless body lying in a pool of blood on the grass, with cages visible in the background of the garden. Emergency services arrived at the scene, and al-Din's body was transported to Al-Sadr Medical City Hospital in Najaf. Police have since launched an investigation into the incident. The authorities revealed to Rudaw news network that the lion was put down after refusing to leave the remains of its owner. (Also read: 44-year-old zookeeper enters lion's den to 'impress girlfriend', accidentally films his own death) The death of Al-Din follows a similar event in Kenya, where a 14-year-old girl was killed by a lion. The lion, believed to have escaped from Nairobi National Park, entered a residential compound on the outskirts of the city and attacked the girl, dragging her away. A friend of the victim raised the alarm, and Kenya Wildlife Service rangers later found the girl's body with severe injuries.
NDTV
13-05-2025
- NDTV
Iraqi Man Killed And Eaten By Pet Lion In His Backyard: Report
Al-Din had kept wild animals, including the lion, in his home garden. A neighbor intervened and shot the lion to stop the attack on al-Din. The incident raises concerns about raising predatory animals in Iraq. An Iraqi man, Aqil Fakhr al-Din, 50, was killed and partially devoured by his pet lion in Kufa last Thursday, just days after puchasing the animal to tame it. The incident has shaken the Al-Barakiya district in the Najaf Governorate. Al-Din was attacked as he approached the lion's cage in the garden of his home in the Al-Hasinat area, where he had kept lions and other wild animals for years. According to the Al-Ghad newspaper, the lion pounced, biting al-Din's neck and chest, resulting in fatal injuries. The animal then consumed a significant portion of the man's body. Al-Din was well-known in the community for keeping exotic animals as pets. A security source told the newspaper that Aqil Fakhr al-Din had been raising the lion in his garden for about a month before the sudden attack. As the victim approached the cage, the lion pounced and tore him apart with its fangs, causing immediate death due to severe injuries to his neck and chest. "A neighbour heard the family's screams and cries for help and intervened, managing to kill the lion by shooting it with his personal weapon, thus ending the violent attack," the source added. The victim's body was transferred to the forensic medicine department according to standard procedures. A video clip later circulated on social media showing the lion lying in a pool of blood. The incident has once again highlighted the growing trend of raising predatory animals in residential areas in Iraq without any legal framework or veterinary supervision, posing a direct threat to public safety.
