Ranya (19) Buried in Iraq After Tragic Death at Belgian Station
Ranya (19), the young woman who died last week after being struck by a train at Wijgmaal station near Leuven, Belgium, has been transported to Iraq and buried next to her father, who was killed by Al Qaeda before she was born. The family’s wish to honor Islamic and cultural burial traditions was made possible through a community fundraising effort that raised the necessary funds in less than 20 hours, as VRT NWS reported.
A Tragic Accident
Ranya died on Wednesday evening, August 12, at approximately 22:15, after alighting from a train and crossing the tracks at Wijgmaal station while barriers were down and warning signals were active. Camera footage from Infrabel, Belgium’s railway infrastructure manager, showed she appeared to be using her mobile phone while crossing. The train that struck her was coming from Haacht and heading toward Leuven. According to VRT NWS, the driver attempted an emergency brake but could not avoid the collision. Ranya died at the scene from her injuries.
“According to initial findings, the woman had just arrived by train when she decided to cross the tracks,” said Helene Tops of the Leuven Public Prosecutor’s Office. “At that moment, a train that was passing through the station was approaching.”
Frédéric Petit of Infrabel extended condolences and emphasized the importance of respecting crossing rules. “This unfortunate accident shows once again how important it is to respect the traffic rules at a crossing,” he said. “Even if a train has already passed, vehicles can still come from the other direction.”
A Family Marked by Tragedy
Ranya’s story carries a profound weight of family history. She was born in Iraq, where her father was killed by Al Qaeda on August 20, 2006 — just months before her birth. He and his brother were killed in front of Ranya’s mother, who was four months pregnant at the time. Her older sister was barely one year old.
In 2017, the family moved to Belgium, settling in Wijgmaal, hoping to find safety and stability after the trauma of the father’s murder. “They started a new life in Wijgmaal, hoping to finally find safety and stability,” said a family acquaintance who wished to remain anonymous. “She was a very motivated and friendly girl. A young woman full of dreams and future plans.”
Ranya attended the Heilig Hartinstituut in Heverlee, where she studied Reception, Organization and Sales. She had just completed her preparatory year for higher education. Outside her studies, she worked as a student worker in a supermarket and as a babysitter.
Community Solidarity
The family wished to bury Ranya in Iraq next to her father, following Islamic and cultural traditions. But the cost of transporting her body, the funeral, and travel was a heavy financial burden. Ranya’s mother works as a packer in a factory in Kessel-Lo and could not bear the cost alone.
Volunteers from the Hidaya Cultural Center in Leuven, which focuses on the Iraqi community, launched a fundraising campaign. The center raised 4,000 euro toward the total cost of 5,500 euro within just 20 hours, as ROBtv reported. Ranya’s body has now been transported to Iraq, with her mother and sister traveling alongside.
Friends and acquaintances have appealed for compassion. “Yes, Ranya made a mistake by crossing the railway,” they said. “But she didn’t do it intentionally. She was inattentive. Both she and her family have already endured so much.”
Safety Improvements on the Horizon
The crossing at Wijgmaal has long been identified as a safety concern. As early as June 2024, the city of Leuven and Infrabel signed an agreement to replace the level crossings in Wijgmaal with tunnels, with work scheduled to begin in 2028. The plan includes two road tunnels and two bicycle and pedestrian tunnels, as VRT NWS reported.
Leuven Mayor Mohamed Ridouani noted the urgency of the improvements. “In the morning, pedestrians, cyclists, and cars are all waiting together here,” he said. “The barrier goes up, and everyone rushes to the other side because it goes down again quickly. It’s not safe and not comfortable.”
A Poignant Reunion
The story of Ranya’s burial next to her father creates a deeply poignant symmetry — a father killed by terrorists before his daughter’s birth, and a daughter who died in a tragic accident in her adopted country, now reunited with him in death. The Wikipedia entry for Station Wijgmaal notes that the station serves approximately 607 passengers on an average weekday, a modest crossing that has now become the site of an immeasurable loss.
As the family lays Ranya to rest in Iraq, her community in Belgium remembers a young woman full of dreams — a life cut short, but one that touched many hearts along the way.