Newspapers issued in Baghdad today, Thursday, September 29th, focused on the tragedy of al-Hamdaniya wedding, the declaration of public mourning, and the internal and international reactions to it.
Al-Zaman newspaper said: “The governorates of Iraq were shrouded in black, after the government announced a three-day general mourning for the victims of the wedding ceremony that turned into a funeral in al-Hamdaniya district of Nineveh Governorate, where about 116 people were killed in a banquet hall fire, while sadness and anger fell over the bereaved with their victims, amid the state’s service and health services on alert searching for missing persons and treating the wounded who are receiving treatment in hospitals in Mosul and the Kurdistan region.”
The newspaper pointed to the causes of the fire, which were explained by the Minister of Interior, Abdul Amir Al-Shammari, including the hall’s lack of safety and security measures. While the Civil Defense was quoted as saying: “The fire led to the collapse of parts of the hall as a result of the use of highly flammable and low-cost building materials that collapse within minutes when the fire breaks out.”
Regarding the reactions to the incident, they highlighted the declaration of general mourning in state institutions for three days, and the expression of the religious authority Ali al-Sistani’s deep sorrow and regret for the horrific fire that occurred in Al-Hamdaniya, which resulted in hundreds of victims and injured.” Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani instructed the ministries and governorates to and state institutions, by taking a number of urgent measures to treat the wounded and injured and provide the utmost care, and to form an investigative committee to uncover the circumstances of the accident, to determine the causes and uncover negligence.”
Al-Zawraa newspaper, which is published by the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, followed Arab and international solidarity with Iraq in al-Hamdaniya tragedy.
The newspaper said in this regard: “A number of Arab and foreign countries, as well as diplomatic missions in Iraq, offered condolences regarding the fire accident that broke out the day before yesterday evening, inside an events hall in Al-Hamdaniya district in Nineveh Governorate.
It added: “Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message of condolence to his Iraqi counterpart, Abdul Latif Rashid, and Prime Minister Muhammad al-Sudani, for the victims of Al-Hamdaniya fire accident. President Putin expressed his sincere condolences and sympathies to the government and people of Iraq for this painful incident, expressing the sympathy of the government and people of Russia with Iraq and the people of Iraq.”
The newspaper continued: “Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani received a condolence telegram from the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Jassim Muhammad Al-Budaiwi, in the fire incident that occurred in Al-Hamdaniya district (Baghdida) in Nineveh Governorate. Al-Budaiwi expressed his sincere condolences and sympathy to the Prime Minister on this painful incident, praying to God to protect Iraq and spare it from all harm, and to cover the victims with His mercy and grant the wounded a speedy recovery.”
It noted: “The Prime Minister of Kuwait, Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, sent two cables of condolence to the President of the Republic, Abdul Latif Jamal, and the Prime Minister, Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani. Meanwhile, the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, in a letter of condolence sent to the President of the Republic, Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid expresses “the full solidarity of the State of Palestine and its people with brotherly Iraq over the fire that broke out in a wedding hall in Al-Hamdaniya in Nineveh Governorate, resulting in the death and injury of hundreds.”
Abbas said in a statement: “My deepest heartfelt condolences and fraternal sympathy to President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, to the brotherly Iraqi government and people, and to the families of the victims, asking God Almighty to rest the victims in His vast mercy and dwell them in His spacious paradise, to grant recovery to the wounded, and to preserve Iraq and its people in goodness, peace and prosperity.”
As the American ambassador to Baghdad, Alina Romanski said: “We stand with the Iraqis in their grief for the victims and injured at al-Hamdaniya wedding.”
Source: National Iraqi News Agency