ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – At least 21 people died and dozens more were injured following a bus rollover accident on the Nasiriyah-Basra road in Dhi Qar province on Sunday, the Iraqi health ministry announced, with the casualty toll including Iranian pilgrims visiting Iraq.

In a statement, the health ministry announced that “21 people died and 19 others were injured, including Iranian pilgrims, in a bus rollover accident on the Nasiriyah-Basra road” in southern Iraq.

"Health Minister Abdul Hussein al-Moussawi followed up on the accident involving a bus carrying a number of pilgrims on the road linking Nasiriyah and Basra, and directed the mobilization of medical, health, and ambulance personnel and the allocation of all available resources to deal with the accident and provide the necessary medical care to the injured," the statement noted.

The minister directed the relevant health institutions to "directly monitor the condition of the injured, ensure emergency treatment services, and provide the necessary medical supplies, while continuing coordination between supporting health agencies to ensure a rapid response."

At least 21 people were killed and 19 others were injured in a traffic accident involving a bus on the Nasiriyah-Basra road, the Iraqi health ministry said on
Sunday pic.twitter.com/5ESLnoxOLE

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Footage circulating online depicted large plumes of smoke rising into the air, engulfing the bus and its surroundings, with locals swarming the dual highway, observing the aftermath of the accident.

Photos released after the fire was extinguished show the victims’ bodies covered in cloth and lined up on the side of the road near the accident site, which was littered with debris from the explosion.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi offered his condolences "to the families of the victims and wishes the injured a speedy recovery," as well as directing "the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the causes of this tragic accident."

Similarly, President Nizar Amedi expressed his symapthies for those affected by the tragedy and stressed that "preserving the lives and safety of citizens is a national responsibility and a top priority."

At least 870 people were killed in nearly 5,000 car accidents across Iraq in 2024, a significant decrease from the previous years, according to Iraq’s interior ministry.

Around 1.1 million people die each year as a result of road traffic accidents globally, with over 90 percent of the accidents occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).