Basra: The Basra Health Department has refuted issuing any statement regarding the condition or legal status of the driver involved in the hit-and-run accident in Al-Haritha, located north of the province.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the department's teams were quick to respond to the accident, providing necessary medical assistance and transporting the injured to nearby hospitals. It emphasized that no official statement was made about the driver of the Tahoe SUV involved in the incident, nor did it verify rumors of the driver being intoxicated or disclose his place of residence.

The department clarified that any investigation into the driver's criminal record, alcohol or toxicology tests, and the details surrounding the accident are under the purview of security agencies, the judiciary, and forensic medicine. It urged media outlets and social media users to ensure accuracy in their reporting and to rely on official sources to prevent the spread of misinformation.

The accident, which occurred at dawn on the pedestrian route in the Al-Haritha district, claimed the lives of eight pilgrims and injured 12 others. The victims were on their way to the holy city of Karbala to observe the Arba'een of Imam Hussein.