Christian leaders in northern Iraq call for international probe into fatal wedding fire

Tragedy Strikes Iraq: Religious Leaders Demand International Probe into Deadly Wedding Fire

In a somber turn of events, Christian religious leaders in northern Iraq have called for an international investigation into a tragic wedding fire that claimed the lives of more than 100 people. The fire erupted when ceiling panels above a pyrotechnic machine caught fire, sparking panic among the guests. This heart-wrenching incident has prompted a closer look into the circumstances surrounding the disaster.

The government’s initial inquiry pointed towards negligence and a lack of safety precautions as the primary causes of the fire, an explanation that didn’t sit well with the religious leaders. They criticized the official investigation, citing corruption within the country and the influence of armed militias on the government as contributing factors to the tragedy.

Father Boutros Sheeto, an Iraqi Syriac Catholic priest, voiced his concern, suggesting that the fire might have been “intentional” without presenting any concrete evidence. This sentiment is shared by many within the affected community who have lost loved ones.

The disaster unfolded in the Haitham Royal Wedding Hall, located in the predominantly Christian region of Hamdaniya in Nineveh province. On that fateful night, the ceiling panels above a pyrotechnic machine burst into flames, setting off a panic that led to the loss of 107 lives and injuries to 82 others. As a result of the government’s findings, several local officials in Nineveh faced “administrative measures” due to their alleged negligence.

Religious leaders, however, strongly reject the notion that the fire was a mere accident. Father Sheeto, who lost ten of his relatives, including his sister Faten Sheeto, asserts that the incident was deliberate. He and many others are demanding an international investigation to uncover the truth.

Chaldean Catholic Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako from Rome stated that the blaze seemed to be the act of someone driven by ulterior motives, questioning the motives behind the tragedy. This sentiment has been echoed by another prominent religious leader, Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Mosul Benedictus Younan Hanno, who calls for a probe under the supervision of international investigators and refuses to accept the results of the Iraqi investigation.

As the days pass, the death toll continues to rise, with the Nineveh Health Department updating it to 113, including 41 unidentified victims. Additionally, 12 individuals with severe burns have been sent for treatment abroad, with eight more soon to follow.

This heartbreaking incident is the latest in a series of hardships faced by Iraq’s Christian minority, whose numbers have drastically declined over the past two decades. The decline began well before the persecution by the Islamic State group, with Christians becoming increasingly vulnerable following the upheaval that followed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. In 2003, Iraq boasted a Christian population of 1.5 million; today, that number has dwindled to approximately 150,000, in a nation with a total population exceeding 40 million.