Saudi Leadership Condoles Iraqi President over Victims of Wedding Hall Fire in Nineveh

A firefighter checks the damage in an event hall in Qaraqosh, also known as Al-Hamdaniya, after a fire broke out during a wedding, killing at least 100 people and injuring more than 150, on September 27, 2023. (AFP)
A firefighter checks the damage in an event hall in Qaraqosh, also known as Al-Hamdaniya, after a fire broke out during a wedding, killing at least 100 people and injuring more than 150, on September 27, 2023. (AFP)
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Saudi Leadership Condoles Iraqi President over Victims of Wedding Hall Fire in Nineveh

A firefighter checks the damage in an event hall in Qaraqosh, also known as Al-Hamdaniya, after a fire broke out during a wedding, killing at least 100 people and injuring more than 150, on September 27, 2023. (AFP)
A firefighter checks the damage in an event hall in Qaraqosh, also known as Al-Hamdaniya, after a fire broke out during a wedding, killing at least 100 people and injuring more than 150, on September 27, 2023. (AFP)

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz sent on Wednesday a cable of condolences to Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid over victims of a fire that broke out in a wedding hall in Nineveh.

He extended his deepest condolences and sincerest sympathy to the Iraqi president, families of the deceased, and the brotherly people of Iraq, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, sent Rashid a similar cable.

A fire ripped through a packed wedding hall in northern Iraq late on Tuesday, killing more than 100 people.

Fire fighters searched the charred remains of the building in Qaraqosh, also known as Al-Hamdaniya, through Wednesday morning and bereaved relatives gathered outside a morgue in the nearby city of Mosul.



UAE, Syria Foreign Ministers Discuss Bolstering Ties on UAE visit

A handout photo made available by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) shows United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani (L) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 06 January 2025. (WAM)
A handout photo made available by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) shows United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani (L) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 06 January 2025. (WAM)
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UAE, Syria Foreign Ministers Discuss Bolstering Ties on UAE visit

A handout photo made available by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) shows United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani (L) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 06 January 2025. (WAM)
A handout photo made available by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) shows United Arab Emirates Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani (L) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 06 January 2025. (WAM)

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed bolstering "brotherly" ties with Syria during the first official visit by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani to the United Arab Emirates on Monday, Emirati state news agency WAM reported.

The two ministers also discussed the overall developments in Syria since former President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by opposition factions on Dec. 8.

The UAE's foreign minister reiterated the country's support for Syria's independence and sovereignty, WAM added.

Syria's Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, head of intelligence Anas Khattab and the UAE's minister of state for defense affairs, Mohammed Fadel al-Mazrouei, also attended the meeting.

The UAE is part of Shibani's second foreign tour, which earlier took him to Qatar and will also include a visit to Jordan. He said the visits aim to "support stability, security, economic recovery and build distinguished partnerships", according to his account on X.

Shibani made his first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia last week, where Saudi officials discussed how best to support Syria's political transition.