A 50-year-old man named Aqil Fakhr al-Din was tragically mauled and fatally attacked by a lion he had recently purchased and kept in his backyard in Najaf, Iraq.
The incident occurred on May 8 in the city of Kufa.
Local authorities reported that the lion attacked suddenly, causing fatal injuries before partially consuming the man’s body. A neighbor intervened, killing the lion with a rifle.
The victim was taken to Al-Sadr Medical City Hospital but was declared dead due to the severity of his injuries.
The attack has sparked public concern about the legality and safety of keeping wild animals as pets.
