Büşranur Keskinkılıç, Yılmaz Öztürk

July 16, 2026•Update: July 16, 2026

Ankara/ Anatolia

The Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed condolences on Thursday evening to the families of the victims of a traffic accident that occurred during the Arbaeen march in Iraq, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured.

The ministry said in a statement that it received with 'profound sorrow' the news of the traffic accident that took place in Iraq's Basra province, resulting in the deaths of a large number of participants in the march heading to Karbala to commemorate the Arbaeen.

The statement added: 'We pray to God for mercy for those who lost their lives in the accident, extend our heartfelt condolences to their families, and wish a speedy recovery for the injured.'

Early Thursday, at least 10 people were killed and 12 others injured in Basra (south) due to a traffic accident in the Al-Hartha district northeast of the province, after the driver of a vehicle lost control, running over a number of people who were walking along the road.