New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) India on Friday offered condolences to the government and people of Iraq in the wake of a devastating fire that claimed the lives of several people in the city of Al-Kut.

In this difficult hour, the people of India stand in solidarity with the people of Iraq, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

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A blaze that broke out late on Wednesday engulfed a newly opened shopping mall in eastern Iraq, killing several people, including children, according to international media reports.

"We express our profound grief at the tragic loss of innocent lives and for those who sustained injuries in the devastating fire incident in the city of Al-Kut, Iraq, on July 16, 2025," Jaiswal said in an X post.

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"We offer our sincere condolences to the government and people of Iraq and pray for the families of the victims and for the early recovery of those injured. In this difficult hour, the people of India stand in solidarity with the people of Iraq," he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)