ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Several people were killed and injured after a truck reportedly lost its brakes and drove onto the opposite lane of a two-way road on the Erbil-Koya highway, ramming into multiple vehicles.

Erbil traffic police spokesperson Hemin Amin told The New Region that the truck was going at a very high speed on the Kasnazan road, adding that the driver lost control and ended up on the other side of the road, going against the traffic, ramming into several vehicles.

“There are several injuries, and there are deaths. As soon as we have more information we will announce them. The number may change now due to the severity of the injuries and one police officer is injured as well,” he said.

The spokesperson confirmed that the truck driver was killed in the collision.

At least two people were killed and four others injured after a truck driver lost control of the vehicle, colliding with a number of cars on the Erbil-Koya highway on Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/nriydLBi0W

— The New Region (@thenewregion) August 26, 2026

Witnesses on site described gruesome scenes, with people severely injured stuck under vehicles.

“He was driving very fast, people honked at him. He tried to move out of the way and ended up on the other side of the road, hitting a police cabin. I saw several people under vehicles, they were injured and one was dead,” a witness told The New Region’s correspondent.

Amin said the traffic directorate will announce the casualties after investigations are complete, adding that some people were still stuck under cars.

Excessive speeding, failure to abide by traffic signs, and a lack of seatbelt wearing are key causes of fatal car accidents in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.