Massive fire engulfs mall in Kut, east of Iraq, leaves dozens of casualties

A massive fire broke out late Wednesday night at Kut's mall in eastern Iraq, a major commercial center that had been operating for just five days, leaving behind a trail of casualties. "The tragic fire claimed the lives of 61 innocent citizens, most of whom suffocated in bathrooms, and among them, 14 charred bodies yet to be identified," the Iraqi Interior Ministry said in a statement. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani called for an immediate investigation into the causes of the Kut shopping mall fire.