Baghdede fire tragedy claims another victim, urgent calls for international investigation persist

BAGHDEDE, Iraq — The devastating Baghdede (Qaraqosh / Hamdaniya) wedding hall fire tragedy claims yet another life as Rafida Hanna Majid Shito has succumbed to her injuries while being treated in a Turkish hospital on Thursday. Shito’s passing adds to the grief of her family, with her husband, son, and 14 other relatives having already lost their lives in the tragic incident.

The catastrophic fire that engulfed the Al-Haytham Hall in the Nineveh Plains town of Baghdede, Iraq, on 16 September has resulted in over 130 deaths, including 6 infants, 41 children under 18, and 9 elders.

While some survivors continue to require ongoing medical care, the Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian community, political parties, and Churches unite in demanding an international investigation. This call comes in response to the rejection of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior’s investigation findings, which attributed the incident to negligence.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Iraqi authorities have taken action by dismissing local officials in the town. However, the demand for an international investigation persists as the community seeks answers and justice for the lives lost in the devastating Baghdede fire.