Child Hajar died from injuries sustained after falling into an abandoned well in the al-Kuwair subdistrict of Iraq's Nineveh governorate, shortly after civil defence teams successfully pulled her out alive in a rescue operation lasting about seven continuous hours.
Hajar dies after arriving at hospital
The Nineveh Health Directorate announced that the child died upon arrival at a hospital in the city of Erbil, explaining that she had succumbed to the wounds and internal injuries she sustained in the fall, despite medical teams' efforts to provide first aid and save her life. The incident began on the evening of Sunday 20 September 2026, when Hajar was playing near her home in the al-Kuwair subdistrict, administratively part of Nineveh governorate, before falling into an abandoned well more than 15 metres deep.
Residents of the village gathered at the scene as civil defence teams were called in to begin the search and rescue operation. The teams used cameras designed for work in confined spaces to check the child's condition inside the well. Images at the time showed that she was still alive, but suffering from injuries caused by her fall to the bottom of the well.
Rescue teams pull child out alive
Federal civil defence teams took part in the rescue operation, with direct field support and coordination from civil defence personnel in the Kurdistan Region in Erbil, alongside contributions from local residents. The efforts continued for nearly seven hours before the teams managed to reach Hajar and pull her out alive, then provide her with the necessary first aid at the scene.
The Iraqi Civil Defence Directorate published a video documenting part of the extraction operation. The initial announcement that the child had been pulled out alive prompted joy and relief among users of social media platforms in Iraq, before the reaction turned to grief following the announcement of her death in hospital.
Bloggers and members of the public shared condolences and tributes to the child. One user wrote: “Hajar has gone after long hours of waiting, hope and prayer, leaving behind aching hearts and a grief that words cannot describe. Sleep in peace, Hajar.”
Followers praised Hajar's resilience throughout the hours she spent at the bottom of the well, saying she had faced a depth of more than 15 metres, harsh conditions and a lack of oxygen. They also pointed to the difficulty of dealing with such incidents amid limited resources and specialised equipment.
