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Iraq’s High Electoral Commission Warns against Civil War

Employees of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission inspect ballot boxes at a warehouse in Najaf, Iraq May 15, 2018. (Reuters)
Employees of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission inspect ballot boxes at a warehouse in Najaf, Iraq May 15, 2018. (Reuters)
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Iraq’s High Electoral Commission Warns against Civil War

Employees of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission inspect ballot boxes at a warehouse in Najaf, Iraq May 15, 2018. (Reuters)
Employees of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission inspect ballot boxes at a warehouse in Najaf, Iraq May 15, 2018. (Reuters)

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission has warned of a potential civil war after the Iraqi parliament decided on Sunday evening to cancel some of the parliamentary elections results and manually recount 10 percent of the votes.

The head of the commission, Riyad al-Badran said that the failure to comply with the official poll results could have dire political repercussions.

On Monday, Iraq’s parliament decided to annul the expatriate vote and recount about 10 percent of all ballots cast due to evidence of fraud.

Poll results from major displacement camps in the Anbar, Salaheddine and Diyala provinces were also canceled.

The Victory Coalition led by Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi said that legal and constitutional procedures must be taken into account in resolving complaints and violations.

“It is necessary to preserve the integrity and legitimacy of the democratic path and the political process in the country,” coalition spokesman Hussein Darwish al-Adli said in a statement.

“This requires commitment to legal and constitutional frameworks by dealing with the election issue in order to achieve justice and to preserve the ballots of voters,” he added.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, legal expert and advisor Jamal Al-Asadi commented on parliament’s decision, saying: “The proceedings of the extraordinary session of the parliament are illegal, and therefore do not impose any obligation on the Electoral Commission.”

“Those affected by the results have no recourse but to challenge the results by legal means, through the Judiciary, which alone can decide whether there was fraud in the general elections or in certain regions or provinces.”

In the same context, Dr. Magida Tamimi, a member of the outgoing Iraqi parliament and the winner of the highest number of votes among women in the current session (55,000 votes in Baghdad), described Monday’s parliamentary session as the “meeting of the losers.”

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Tamimi said: “The majority of those who today are crying over results are the product of political parties and forces that have become addicted to fraud.”

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Arab World

UN Envoy Calls for a 'Unified Mechanism' to Lead Reconstruction of Libya's Flood-wrecked City

A view shows the destruction, in the aftermath of the floods in Derna, Libya September 30, 2023. (Reuters)
A view shows the destruction, in the aftermath of the floods in Derna, Libya September 30, 2023. (Reuters)
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UN Envoy Calls for a 'Unified Mechanism' to Lead Reconstruction of Libya's Flood-wrecked City

A view shows the destruction, in the aftermath of the floods in Derna, Libya September 30, 2023. (Reuters)
A view shows the destruction, in the aftermath of the floods in Derna, Libya September 30, 2023. (Reuters)

The United Nations’ top official in divided Libya on Monday called for a unified mechanism to lead the reconstruction of a coastal city that was wrecked by devastating floods last month.
UN Special Envoy for Libya Abdoulaye Bathily said in a statement that such a mechanism is required amid “unilateral and competing initiatives” by Libyan actors and institutions on the reconstruction of the Mediterranean city of Derna and other flood-impacted areas.
Devastating rainfall and floods, triggered by Mediterranean Storm Danial, hit parts of eastern Libya last month. The floods overwhelmed two depleted dams outside Derna on Sep. 11, causing massive waters that washed away residential buildings to the sea and left as much as one-third of Derna’s housing and infrastructure damaged, according to the UN’s Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Government officials and aid agencies have given estimated death tolls ranging from more than 4,000 to over 11,000. The bodies of many of the people killed still are under rubble or in the Mediterranean, according to search teams.
As Libya remains divided, with two rival administrations claiming legitimacy and each wanting to oversee the reconstruction of Derna, Bathily called for “a unified national mechanism ... required to effectively and efficiently take forward the reconstruction efforts in the flood-affected areas”, The Associated Press said.
He urged Libyan rival authorities and their international partners to facilitate the establishment of the unified mechanism to ensure “transparency and accountability.”
Following the disaster, many in and outside Libya called for an international investigation, reflecting the deep public mistrust in state institutions. The two dams had not been maintained for decades despite repeated warnings that they were depleted.
Bathily’s call for a unified mechanism quickly gained support from the US, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.
The five governments said in a joint statement that they “strongly support” a proposal to “deliver transparent and accountable relief and response to the reconstruction needs in the wake of the flood disaster.”
The oil-rich North African nation has been in chaos since 2011, when an Arab Spring uprising, backed by NATO, ousted Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. For most of the past decade, rival administrations have claimed authority to lead Libya.
The country’s east and south have been under the control of Gen. Khalifa Hafter and his self-styled Libyan National Army, which is allied with a parliament-confirmed government. A rival administration is based in the capital, Tripoli, and enjoys the support of most of the international community.

Arab World

Two Syrian Soldiers Injured in Israeli Air Attack on Army Sites in Deir al Zor

Israeli previous strike on Syria (File- Reuters)
Israeli previous strike on Syria (File- Reuters)
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Two Syrian Soldiers Injured in Israeli Air Attack on Army Sites in Deir al Zor

Israeli previous strike on Syria (File- Reuters)
Israeli previous strike on Syria (File- Reuters)

Two soldiers were injured following an Israeli air attack on Syrian armed forces posts in the vicinity of Syria's eastern Deir al Zor province on Monday, Syrian state media said early on Tuesday, citing a military source.
"At about 23:50 p.m. on Oct. 2, the Israeli enemy launched an air attack on some of our armed forces’ sites in the vicinity of Deir al Zor, and the aggression led to the injury of two soldiers and some material losses," the source said.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army, Reuters said.
Israel has for years been carrying out attacks against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, where Tehran's influence has grown since it began supporting President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war that started in 2011.
Hundreds of thousands of people have died and millions have been made homeless since protests against Assad in 2011 developed into a civil war that drew in foreign powers and left Syria carved into zones of control.

Arab World

Egypt’s Sisi Confirms Candidacy for Presidential Elections

A school boy walks near an election campaign bus for Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi adorned with his image, his slogan "long live Egypt", and C-shaped balloons, as Sisi's supporters prepare for a rally in Giza, the twin-city of the Egyptian capital, on October 2, 2023. (AFP)
A school boy walks near an election campaign bus for Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi adorned with his image, his slogan "long live Egypt", and C-shaped balloons, as Sisi's supporters prepare for a rally in Giza, the twin-city of the Egyptian capital, on October 2, 2023. (AFP)
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Egypt’s Sisi Confirms Candidacy for Presidential Elections

A school boy walks near an election campaign bus for Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi adorned with his image, his slogan "long live Egypt", and C-shaped balloons, as Sisi's supporters prepare for a rally in Giza, the twin-city of the Egyptian capital, on October 2, 2023. (AFP)
A school boy walks near an election campaign bus for Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi adorned with his image, his slogan "long live Egypt", and C-shaped balloons, as Sisi's supporters prepare for a rally in Giza, the twin-city of the Egyptian capital, on October 2, 2023. (AFP)

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi confirmed on Monday that he will stand for a third term in office in an election in December.

"Just as I responded to the call of the Egyptians before, today I respond to their call again," Sisi said in a closing speech for a three-day event that promoted policies under his rule at a new capital being built in the desert outside Cairo.

"We are on the cusp of our new republic, which seeks to complete the process of the state's survival and rebuild it on the foundations of modernity and democracy," he said.

Sisi, a former army chief who has been president since 2014, had been widely expected to run again and secure a third term after constitutional amendments four years ago that would allow him to stay in office until 2030.

In recent weeks, supporters have mounted a campaign using billboards and public messages urging him to stand in the Dec. 10-12 poll.

Sisi came to power after the ouster of Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013. He was announced winner of presidential elections in 2014 and 2018.

The election comes as Egypt is struggling with an economic crisis that has seen record inflation and a chronic foreign currency shortage.

Arab World

Iraq Rejects Turkish Strikes in Kurdistan Region, Seeks Resolution 

A man waves an Iraqi national flag as protesters gather in Baghdad's Tahrir square to mark the 4th anniversary of the 2019 anti-government demonstrations on October 1, 2023. (AFP)
A man waves an Iraqi national flag as protesters gather in Baghdad's Tahrir square to mark the 4th anniversary of the 2019 anti-government demonstrations on October 1, 2023. (AFP)
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Iraq Rejects Turkish Strikes in Kurdistan Region, Seeks Resolution 

A man waves an Iraqi national flag as protesters gather in Baghdad's Tahrir square to mark the 4th anniversary of the 2019 anti-government demonstrations on October 1, 2023. (AFP)
A man waves an Iraqi national flag as protesters gather in Baghdad's Tahrir square to mark the 4th anniversary of the 2019 anti-government demonstrations on October 1, 2023. (AFP)

Iraq rejects repeated Turkish air strikes or the presence of Turkish bases in its Kurdistan region and hopes to come to an agreement with Ankara to solve this problem, Iraqi President Abdul-Latif Rashid said in comments aired on Monday.

Türkiye said on Sunday it carried out air strikes in northern Iraq that destroyed 20 targets belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) after the militant group said it orchestrated the first bomb attack in Ankara in years.

Türkiye regards the PKK as a terrorist group and regularly carries out air strikes in northern Iraq, which has long been outside the direct control of the Baghdad government.

Türkiye has also has sent commandos and set up military bases on Iraqi territory to support its offensives.

"These violations are rejected by the Iraqi people, the (Kurdistan) region and all of Iraq's inhabitants," Rashid said in an interview with broadcaster Al-Hadath, a short clip of which was aired on Monday.

It was not clear whether the interview was filmed before or after Sunday's Turkish air strikes.

Rashid said such strikes sometimes killed civilians, including people visiting the region who "become victims of Turkish bombing."

Türkiye has denied targeting civilians and says it works to avoid civilian casualties through its coordination with Iraqi authorities.

Rashid is a member of the Iraqi Kurdish PUK party that has close ties to Iran and has criticized Türkiye’s strikes in Iraq's north.

Rashid said Baghdad hoped to come to an agreement with Ankara to resolve the issue in a manner similar to a security agreement Iraq has inked with Iran to deal with Iranian Kurdish separatist groups in the Kurdistan region.

Arab World

Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Seize Military Base in Kordofan

Generals Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (AFP)
Generals Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (AFP)
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Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Seize Military Base in Kordofan

Generals Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (AFP)
Generals Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. (AFP)

Chairman of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and army commander General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were implicated in the violent dispersal of civil sit-ins at the General Command four years ago.

Burhan’s statement created controversy in political circles and on social media as it was the first time he had addressed the incident that left hundreds of civilians dead and injured.

Meanwhile, the RSF captured a city in the Kordofan region, announcing in a statement on the X platform that they had seized the Wad Ashana Garrison in North Kordofan State from an extremist militia linked to the army and loyalists from the ousted regime.

The garrison was the last remaining border outpost with White Nile State.

The RSF confiscated 12 fully equipped combat vehicles during the operation, including a 12-barrel Katyusha rocket launcher and numerous other weapons and ammunition.

The capture of the Wad Ashana Garrison provides a further strategic advantage to the RSF. It opens the path to progress toward Kosti in the White Nile and other areas.

“This achievement is instrumental in our mission to neutralize the former regime and its extremist affiliates,” it said.

Ending the war

Meanwhile, Burhan toured northern cities on Sunday, starting with Dongola, the capital of North State, where he checked on military operation casualties and patients undergoing kidney dialysis at the military hospital.

He met military leaders, artillery officers, and state government officials, stressing that the armed forces are committed to ending the war peacefully or through continued conflict.

He stated that the eruption of the war on April 15 was driven by the personal ambitions of certain individuals who want to seize control of the state – a possible reference to RSF commander Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and his brother Abdul Rahim.

Burhan highlighted serious RSF violations against citizens, including theft, property damage, widespread destruction, and destruction of state institutions and infrastructure.

The chairman denounced the deceptive and false narrative promoted by the RSF, confirming its involvement in the dispersal of the sit-ins at the General Command and their oppression of the protesters.

In June 2019, forces in military and civilian attire violently attacked thousands of protesters in front of the army headquarters in central Khartoum, resulting in numerous civilian casualties without intervention from the army to protect them.

Resigned Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok had formed an independent committee to investigate the unrest, with several current high-ranking army officials and the commander of the RSF called to testify.

However, the military coup, staged by the army and RSF on October 25, 2021, which overthrew the transitional government, hindered the probe.

Arab World

Libya on Alert for Possible Flooding in South

Derna city was left devastated in wake of the deadly flooding from Storm Daniel. (Reuters)
Derna city was left devastated in wake of the deadly flooding from Storm Daniel. (Reuters)
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Libya on Alert for Possible Flooding in South

Derna city was left devastated in wake of the deadly flooding from Storm Daniel. (Reuters)
Derna city was left devastated in wake of the deadly flooding from Storm Daniel. (Reuters)

Interior Minister in Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) Imad Trabelsi issued on Sunday an order to evacuate all homes near valleys and lowland areas in the southwestern Ghat region in anticipation of possible flash floods as heavy rain was predicted in the area.

Head of the Government Emergency and Rapid Response Team and Minister of Local Government Badr Al-Din Al-Toumi had ordered public services, water and sanitation companies and the National Safety Authority to move to the city of Ghat and take the necessary precautions to avoid any damage that may result from rainfall and valley flooding, said the government Hakomitna e-platform said on its Facebook page.

Al-Ahrar TV said the media director of the National Meteorological Center warned that the nation's threat level was raised to medium risk (orange) in the southwest after an increase in thunderstorms. The official urged residents to remain cautious.

Meanwhile, head of the GNU Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah announced precautionary measures in anticipation of any emergency.

He directed Toumi to communicate with the mayors of municipalities in Ghat and nearby areas to follow up on any incidents that may result from the rainfall.

He also tasked him with taking the necessary precautions to prevent any power and communication outages.

Storm Daniel, the Mediterranean cyclone that hit eastern Libya last month, led to flooding that killed thousands of people, swept away entire neighborhoods and devastated infrastructure.

Arab World

Israel Activates Economic Measures In Favor of Palestinian Authority

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh unveils the cornerstone for the Palestine wheat silos project in the village of Burham. (Wafa)
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh unveils the cornerstone for the Palestine wheat silos project in the village of Burham. (Wafa)
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Israel Activates Economic Measures In Favor of Palestinian Authority

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh unveils the cornerstone for the Palestine wheat silos project in the village of Burham. (Wafa)
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh unveils the cornerstone for the Palestine wheat silos project in the village of Burham. (Wafa)

The Israeli government began to offer a number of economic facilities to the Palestinian Authority, lately approved under heavy pressure from Washington.

Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom reported on Sunday that Israel has recently slashed the gasoline tax it had been collecting from the Palestinian Authority by 50%, and has taken other measures to ease the financial situation in Ramallah.

Israeli authorities decided to collect a 1.5% gasoline tax instead of 3% from the PA, a measure that will save the Authority some 80 million shekels ($20 million) on an annual basis, according to the newspaper.

In 2023, the Israeli cabinet had taken other steps to support the Palestinian Authority's economy. These efforts include increased tax payments in favor of the PA, which now average 730 million shekels per month, compared to around half a million three years ago.

Early this year, the cabinet had announced it approved lowering the so-called “blue tax” that it levies from the PA on fuel transfers from three percent to 1.5%; raising the percentage of revenues it transfers to Ramallah from the fees it collects from travelers at the Allenby border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan; and expanding the list of tax-free imports that it facilitates on the PA’s behalf.

The Israeli government has only implemented the preliminary measures, while it said the list of tax-free imports will be updated later through the Israeli-Palestinian Joint Economic Committee.

The Committee was established under the Oslo Accords, with an aim to regulate the economic relations between Israel and the PA.

It has not convened since 2009, as a result of the political tension between the parties

The PA demands that Israel implements all three measures. Israel had previously refused, but lately accepted under ongoing pressure from the administration of US President Joe Biden.

Israeli officials said that Israeli far-right ministers, like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who oversees the Tax Authority and the Civil Administration in Israel, also approved this decision. They said the move aligns with the Biden administration's call to improve the economic situation in the Palestinian Authority, which is believed to be on the brink of economic collapse.

The three measures could add millions of dollars to the coffers of the PA, currently going through a deteriorating financial crisis, the worst since its establishment.

For the second consecutive year, the Palestinian Authority is paying partial salaries to most of its employees due to the crisis.

Last July, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet decided that Israel would work to prevent the collapse of the PA.

The Israeli government withholds huge amounts of money in tax revenues on the PA’s behalf and hands them to the families of Israelis killed in Palestinian attacks.

Arab World

Conflicting Reports About Explosions Targeting Iranian Militias West Damascus

Security men inspect the site of the Israeli attack that targeted Iranian offices in Damascus last February (AP)
Security men inspect the site of the Israeli attack that targeted Iranian offices in Damascus last February (AP)
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Conflicting Reports About Explosions Targeting Iranian Militias West Damascus

Security men inspect the site of the Israeli attack that targeted Iranian offices in Damascus last February (AP)
Security men inspect the site of the Israeli attack that targeted Iranian offices in Damascus last February (AP)

Violent explosions were heard Sunday in al-Assad village, west of Damascus, where Iranian militia headquarters are said to be located, according to conflicting reports.

The nature of the explosions remains unclear, and some reports suggest that they targeted a building affiliated with the Fourth Division and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), resulting in two non-Syrian casualties.

Other reports imply an Israeli airstrike aimed at a structure associated with the Lebanese Hezbollah.

Various Syrian online platforms and activists have reported hearing explosions in the area of the al-Assad village under the influence of the Fourth Division led by Maher al-Assad, President Bashar’s brother.

The area hosts headquarters, barracks, and arms depots for the division, Iranian militias, and Hezbollah.

Until this report, no official military statement has been released from Damascus regarding the explosions.

Local sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that at least three explosions were heard around midnight on Saturday into Sunday. However, it is speculated that these explosions might not have resulted from Israeli missile attacks.

They indicated that typically, missile strikes are much louder than what was heard, and no sounds of aerial defenses countering Israeli missiles were reported, noting a significant presence of Iranian militia members and Hezbollah in the area.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) confirmed hearing three explosions shortly after midnight, around 1:20 AM, in a building belonging to the Fourth Division and IRGC beside al-Hamzah Mosque in al-Assad villages.

The initial information indicates that the explosions resulted in the death of two persons of unknown nationality in the building and significant material damage.

Later, SOHR Directory Rami Abdul Rahman said that the targeted building could be a storehouse or a transit point towards the Syrian-Lebanese border used for transporting precision weapons.

The building is located approximately nine kilometers from the Syrian-Lebanese border between al-Assad villages and Dimas, affiliated with Hezbollah and the Quds Force of the IRGC.

Rahman said in a televised interview that the three explosions in the building led to two casualties of non-Syrian nationality, pointing out there seems to be a media blackout by the regime.

He noted that the targeting or explosions might result from an Israeli intelligence operation, with no anti-aircraft missiles launched by the regime’s defenses in response.

The “Damascus Sound” news website reported that Israeli warplanes attacked a building affiliated with Hezbollah near the al-Assad villages.

The website cites eyewitnesses saying that four explosions were heard in the vicinity, followed by rising smoke near the Hamzah Mosque.

The website quoted “special” sources saying the targeted building was reportedly used for logistical and security coordination to transport weapons between Syria and Lebanon.

The sources indicated that the airstrike destroyed the building, housing a shipment of Iranian weapons being prepared for transport into Lebanon.

The website mentioned it could not verify the exact extent of losses or whether there were casualties or injuries during the attack. It noted that no official statements had been issued, and no anti-aircraft defense systems were activated in the area.

Last August, blasts were heard in West Damascus, and reports were also conflicting regarding the nature of the explosions.

Back then, official media outlets reported on the sounds of explosions.

State-owned Sana stated that the “cause was not clear” and that an investigation was underway regarding the nature of these explosions. As customary, no official military statement was released regarding the August explosions.

Arab World

Iraqi Committee: Fireworks Caused the Wedding Hall Tragedy

People search for the remains of missing bodies after the Hamdaniya fire in Nineveh (Reuters)
People search for the remains of missing bodies after the Hamdaniya fire in Nineveh (Reuters)
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Iraqi Committee: Fireworks Caused the Wedding Hall Tragedy

People search for the remains of missing bodies after the Hamdaniya fire in Nineveh (Reuters)
People search for the remains of missing bodies after the Hamdaniya fire in Nineveh (Reuters)

The investigative committee formed by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Sudani concluded that fireworks were responsible for the tragic blaze at the Hamdaniya wedding hall, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of over 200 individuals.

During a press conference attended by Interior Minister Abdel Amir al-Shammari and other officials, the committee revealed that the fireworks were the primary cause of the fire.

The committee's chair, Major General Saad Faleh Ksar al-Dulaimi, noted that the hall, with a capacity of 500 people, was constructed with iron, cement, block walls, and a roof made of combustible materials.

Dulaimi further pointed out that within the hall there was a room containing large quantities of fabric used for decoration and storage of large amounts of alcohol, with no emergency exits available.

The "main cause" of the fire was four fireworks that shot showers of sparks four meters high, Dulaimi said, adding that these ignited the prefabricated panels in the ceiling and the hall's decorations.

The head of the commission said the death toll currently stands at 107, adding that there are 82 injuries.

The owner of the hall, local officials, and directors of municipal services and electricity were blamed for negligence and irresponsibility.

Furthermore, the committee highlighted that civil defense was negligent in monitoring the hall's closure procedures for non-compliance with safety regulations.

The adviser to the Minister of the Interior, Major General Kadhim Bohan, stated during the conference that the incident was accidental and unintentional, and there were shortcomings from the wedding hall owners and resulted from gross negligence.

Bohan pointed out that "fireworks generated very high thermal energy and were used inside the hall, as the decoration on the ceiling of the hall is sensitive to heat and flammable, in addition to that the floor of the hall is also flammable, and the hall contains a storage of large quantities of alcohol."

The adviser underscored that the swift collapse of the wedding hall hindered rescue operations significantly.

Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari explained that the presence of cooling devices, combustible materials, and the lack of emergency exits accelerated the fire spread.

Shammari indicated that the hall owner increased its capacity by adding more tables and chairs covered with flammable materials.

The Minister highlighted that on the night of the incident, the owner had prepared 900 dinner servings, which collectively expedited the fire's spread.

The hall owner reportedly pulled out the camera surveillance device and fled to Erbil, where he was arrested and showed the recordings.

The Minister revealed that the committee recommended that the victims of al-Hamdaniya be considered martyrs, being a religious minority, and follow-up the investigation of the accused and coordination with the judiciary and witnesses.

The committee advised offering financial aid to the injured and covering their treatment expenses within and outside the country at the state's expense.

The recommendations also encompassed the formation of specialized committees to oversee the arrest process of those accused in the case, monitor the progress of the investigation, and refer the accused to the judiciary.

The committee further recommended the dismissal of Hamdaniya local officials, including its mayor, the director of its municipality, the director of tourism classification in Nineveh, the director of Hamdaniya electricity, and the director of fire and safety at the Nineveh Civil.

Moreover, it was suggested that the director of Civil Defense in the governorate be referred to the specialized committee and that an investigative board be established to look into his actions.

Arab World

Blaze Rips through Regional Police HQ in Egypt, 45 Injured

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a police headquarters in Ismailia on October 2, 2023. (AFP)
Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a police headquarters in Ismailia on October 2, 2023. (AFP)
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Blaze Rips through Regional Police HQ in Egypt, 45 Injured

Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a police headquarters in Ismailia on October 2, 2023. (AFP)
Firefighters try to extinguish a fire at a police headquarters in Ismailia on October 2, 2023. (AFP)

A huge fire ripped through a regional police headquarters in the Egyptian city of Ismailia before dawn Monday, gutting the building and leaving at least 45 people injured.  

Authorities said they had launched a probe into the cause of the blaze that destroyed the Security Directorate building in the city 110 kilometers (70 miles) northeast of Cairo.  

Several people could be seen trapped inside the burning building, screaming for help from the windows, in video footage shared on social media, and emergency crews were later seen deploying a crane to rescue them.

No fatalities have been reported from the at least eight-storey tall building that was fully staffed with police when it was engulfed by flames overnight.

Fifty ambulances rushed to the scene, joined by two army planes and military emergency services, according to the health ministry and local media.  

Crowds of onlookers flocked to the base of the building as the flames raged through it, sending black smoke billowing into the night sky.  

Twelve people were treated at the scene, the health ministry said, and 33 more were taken to hospitals in Ismailia and nearby Suez, according to the public prosecutor's office.  

Most suffered burns or smoke inhalation in the fire, first reports of which were received at 4:30 am (0130 GMT).  

By dawn, the building had been reduced to a blackened concrete shell as emergency services hosed it with water to prevent the blaze from flaring up again.  

Authorities have not said how many police or detainees were inside the building, and security forces later sealed off the area, AFP correspondents reported.  

Deadly blazes  

Interior Minister Mahmoud Tawfik ordered an investigation into the cause of the fire and a "structural safety review" for the building, his ministry said.  

On social media, Egyptians demanded information and accountability.  

Deadly fires are a common hazard in the north African country where fire codes are rarely enforced and emergency services are often slow to arrive.  

In August 2022, a fire blamed on a short circuit killed 41 worshippers in a Cairo Coptic church, prompting calls to improve infrastructure and response times.

Most suffocated while trying to flee the building, and others jumped out of windows to escape the blaze, as firefighters took over an hour to arrive through a maze of alleyways.

Monday's fire in Ismailia raged through one of dozens of new police headquarters that have been built or renovated across the country over the past decade.

In March 2021, at least 20 people died in a fire at a textile factory in the capital, after two hospital fires killed 14 people the previous year.