ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Hundreds of people in the Kurdistan Region's eastern Halabja province on Thursday bid a final farewell to a child who tragically died after being swept away by water at a resort in the Hawraman region, a case that prompted an extraordinary volunteer search effort and drew nationwide praise.
Ruqyya, 11, from Iraq's Karbala province, disappeared after falling into the water at Zalim resort during a family visit earlier this month. Her body was recovered on Wednesday after nearly nine days of intensive search operations involving civil defense teams, security forces, local authorities, and hundreds of volunteers.
Before her body was returned to Karbala, hundreds of people, including officials and residents of Halabja, gathered for a formal farewell ceremony honoring the young girl.
Speaking during the ceremony, Halabja Governor Nuxsha Nasih said the response reflected the province's long-standing humanitarian values.
"This demonstrated the humanitarian spirit of the people of Halabja and Hawraman. Halabja has witnessed immense calamity and suffering. That is why I always say that we feel the pain of others much more than people in other places do," Nasih told Rudaw.
"Once again, all of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region became one. We hope this will be a good path toward a peaceful country where we can live in harmony," she added.
Karbala Governor Nassif Jassim al-Khattabi also expressed gratitude to Halabja's officials and residents, extending his "profound thanks and appreciation" to the Halabja governor and "the honorable people of the governorate for their noble humanitarian stance and sincere sentiments."
"Their actions embodied the highest ideals of brotherhood and national unity, emphasizing that the solidarity and cohesion shown toward the family from Karbala reflect the authentic nature of the Iraqi people and their deep-rooted human values," read a statement from his office, published in Arabic and Kurdish.
The governor has also announced plans to visit Halabja in the coming days "to personally convey his gratitude and appreciation to the governor of Halabja and its citizens for their significant humanitarian efforts, which will remain a source of pride and esteem for the people of Holy Karbala."
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also praised the people of Halabja and Hawraman for their efforts.
"I express my great thanks and appreciation to the beloved, noble, and humanitarian people of Halabja province and Hawraman, who over the past few days made tireless and unparalleled efforts to find the body of a tragically deceased tourist from Karbala named Ruqyya," Barzani said in a statement.
"This spirit is never foreign to the culture of humanity and generosity of the people of Kurdistan. I specifically commend the governor of Halabja, the security forces, civil defense teams, and all the volunteers and individuals who played a role in recovering the body," he added.
While extending his condolences to Ruqyya's family, Barzani also called for stricter safety measures at tourist destinations following a recent rise in drowning incidents.
"Regrettably, there has been an increase in tragic drowning incidents recently," Barzani said, urging relevant government authorities to "tighten safety measures and guidelines at tourist sites, particularly near rivers, dams, and water sources."
The tragedy comes amid a growing number of drowning incidents across the Kurdistan Region. According to the Kurdistan Region Civil Defense, nearly 30 people have drowned across the Region so far in 2026. Authorities attribute many of the incidents to poor swimming ability, strong currents, unfamiliar waterways, cold water temperatures, and the absence of basic safety equipment such as life jackets.
