SULAIMANI,— The General Directorate of Traffic in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region announced Tuesday that drivers and passengers who throw garbage or waste onto streets from cars or motorcycles will face a fine of 40,000 Iraqi dinars, or about $30.

The decision was issued on May 12, 2026, as part of efforts to reduce littering and strengthen environmental protection measures across the region.

According to the directorate, throwing any type of waste from vehicles is prohibited and violators will be fined through several traffic monitoring systems.

The agency said the penalty will be added to violation registration systems, including PDA devices, surveillance cameras and speed cameras.

Traffic officers also have authority to issue fines if they directly witness violations or receive video evidence submitted by citizens through official traffic platforms, the directorate said.

Authorities called on residents to cooperate with traffic police by sending photos and videos of people seen throwing waste in public areas so legal action can be taken.

Observers said littering remains common in Kurdistan, Iraq and other parts of the Middle East. They said many people throw waste onto streets instead of using trash bins.

According to observers, some residents justify the behavior by saying foreign Asian workers are responsible for cleaning public areas.

(With files from NRT)

Copyright © 2026 iKurd.net. All rights reserved.

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Disasters Are the Fury of Nature, Not God, and Carelessness!!

Mohammed Khoshnaw | iKurd.net
Translated by iKurd.net from Kurdish Awene Newspaper

Natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, landslides, avalanches, and so on, are the fury of nature, not divine wrath or punishment for sinners, oppressors, or those who abandon religious rituals or worship.

They are not signs of God’s anger! If that were the case, then true believers would receive their full share of provision, safety, and happiness.

If disasters were proportional to our sins and misdeeds, calamities and misfortunes would not surround us from all sides. Look from west to east: the floods in Indonesia killed hundreds, displaced thousands, and destroyed communities; wars in Gaza and Sudan, along with other conflicts, have caused widespread suffering; droughts and floods in Chamchamal continue to devastate the region.

The phenomena of the universe have scientific causes, they follow fixed paths and do not target those upon whom divine wrath has supposedly descended, nor do they seek out the misguided or corrupt. They do not favor believers. Rather, natural events follow their courses and affect those who are in their way.

Only those who act with knowledge and understanding can navigate the fury of nature safely. A believer who enters the sea without knowing how to swim will drown despite praying, while an atheist who knows how to swim will survive. This is the law of nature, nothing more, nothing less.

Those who build their homes in flood-prone areas should not expect prayers alone to save them. They must act responsibly, avoid dangerous zones, and take precautions for the safety of their children.

In short, areas in Erbil and especially the Garmiyan region are among the most vulnerable in Kurdistan to damage and floods. Erbil has made some improvements through new channels, embankments, and dams. Garmiyan and other regions must see government intervention to address these recurring problems.

Flood-prone areas require careful planning, renovating embankments, managing water flow, prohibiting construction on high-risk land, and redirecting flood paths. Natural disasters will create victims among the careless while sparing those who act responsibly.

Simply praying will not prevent destruction, just as repeated prayers in Friday sermons have not prevented recurring disasters.

Disasters are not acts of God. The Almighty does not demonstrate His power by punishing the weak, scattering them, or taking pride in cries and suffering. These events are the workings of nature, with all its life, death, and unpredictability, a fixed law that does not change.

When great disasters affect others, people say it is divine punishment on the oppressors; when it affects us, they claim it is a test of faith. The suffering of believers during disasters is not a punishment for their faith; rather, it is the result of natural forces acting according to their laws.

Millions of sinners and oppressors around the world live safely and healthily without ever receiving immediate retribution. The important lesson is that humans should perceive God as observing people impartially, rather than as a deity who becomes angry like humans.

Nature, too, is not angry in the human sense. Some disasters can be prevented with foresight, but negligence, carelessness, and indifference allow small problems to grow into terrifying catastrophes. A small leak in a water network, ignored, can lead to street collapses and flooding.

Tragically, Kurds, as individuals, as a society, and as authorities, often display extreme carelessness and disregard warnings. Historically, similar negligence contributed to the collapse of empires, such as Rome, where citizens relied entirely on the state and ignored public responsibility.

Carelessness leads to social stagnation and intellectual decline. In Kurdistan, this has become a societal issue: either society acts responsibly, or disasters like the Chamchamal floods continue to occur.

This article was originally published in the Kurdish language in Awene Newspaper on December 13, 2025.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.

Copyright © 2025 iKurd.net. All rights reserved.

Muslims in Iraqi Kurdistan hold prayers for rain

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It is time for the Turkish State to end the illegal occupation and deforestation of the Autonomous Region in Kurdistan-Iraq!

Omar Sindi | Exclusive to iKurd.net

Up until now, the Turkish state falsely claimed that it is fighting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has military bases in this part of the Kurdistan region. The de facto leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who is still in a Turkish prison, along with his cult party, the PKK, unilaterally renounced armed struggle and declared their trust in the illusion of Turkish democracy and in making peace with the Turkish state.

However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has not taken any meaningful step toward reconciliation.

Under the guise of fighting the PKK, Turkish forces have committed environmental crimes, including deforestation and illegal logging operations in this pristine area. They have not allowed people to go back to villages or rebuild their villages, severely impairing the environment and causing socioeconomic degradation, including soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and increased carbon emissions.

The Turkish army, along with its auxiliary forces known as the Jash or “Village Guards,” (köy korucular) continues to expand deeper into this Kurdish region. Many innocent people have lost their lives under the Turkish state’s illegal occupation in this region. Turkish forces are committing mass deforestation in one of the most pristine Kurdish areas of Iraq.

The deforestation being committed by the Turkish state will have catastrophic effects on the region’s ecosystem and greater environmental consequences for the Middle East at large. This area contributes to the water resources of the Tigris–Euphrates Basin, which are vital sources of drinking water.

Since the beginning of recorded history, this region has been preserved as a habitat for many different species of insects, plants, and animals such as mountain goats, wolves, bears, foxes, squirrels, mountain leopards, honey bees, as well as many types of birds, such as hawks and eagles, and the list goes on.

This illegal occupation is against international law. The international community should impose economic sanctions on the Turkish state for its unjust acts and misguided policies.

However, the Turkish occupation of this region in Kurdistan-Iraq does not appear to be of great concern to either Baghdad or Erbil. The people of Iraq should raise their voices against Turkish occupation and deforestation in this part of Kurdistan and demand reparations for the war and environmental destruction by this warmongering state. Turkey increased its defense spending by over 17% compared to the previous year.

If Iraq can bring its political order into cue, it is economically capable of forcing Turkey to end its occupation and to release the water it has withheld, all the way to the southern marshes of Iraq, which have suffered from environmental catastrophe.

In 2024, according to social media sources, trade between Turkey and Iraq exceeded fifteen billion dollars. Meanwhile, the Turkish state continues to build dams along the Euphrates River and Tigris River. “A 2023 hydro-economic model estimated the average annual hydropower revenue for a specific set of Turkish dams on the upper Euphrates Basin at six hundred and twenty dollars.” If the Turkish government refuses to abide by this, Iraq has other countries it can trade with.

The frightening reality of political polarization and instability in the Middle East and beyond reveals that the root causes of the chaos lie with the Turkish state and the Iranian clerical regime in Tehran. The colonial ambitions of President Erdogan’s so-called “neo-Ottoman” expansionist policy and the Iranian clerical “Shia Crescent,” stretching from the mouth of the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea, have for decades fueled political turmoil and exhausted regional economies.

These regimes exploit crises and remain major obstacles to genuine social stability. They are parts of non-veridical social stability.

President Erdogan, his AKP Party, and Devlet Bahceli, the head of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), should bear in mind that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government and military actions significantly reduced Iranian influence, rule, and weakened hegemony in the region, which caused the regime of Bashar Assad’s dynasty to fall and significantly weakened Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

This outcome is considered a military defeat for Iran in both Syria and Lebanon. That perilous action is not for the Turkish state’s expansionist policy. This pathway is not for President Erdogan’s ambitious statute of “neo-Ottoman” ambitions.

Approximately four hundred thousand Turkish people live in Northern Cyprus, which has its own self-declared government recognized only by Turkey. However, more than forty million Kurds live across the Middle East, yet from the Turkish state’s standpoint, they should have neither an independent state nor even autonomy, nor even the right to express themselves as a Kurdish nation.

After World War I, Syria was forcibly assembled against the wishes of Kurds in northeastern Rojava Kurdistan, as well as the Alawites and Druze, by British and French colonial powers seeking to serve their interests in the region. President Erdogan of Turkey claims to be a strong defender of Syria’s territorial integrity, but this statement should be considered as realpolitik and disingenuous.

About 20,000 Turkish troops are occupying Syria, assisting jihadist militants/terrorists inside Syria against Kurds, Alawites, and Druze. If President Erdogan truly cared about Syrian sovereignty, he should return the Turkish province of Hatay (Alexandretta) to Syria.

In 1939, it was detached from Syria through a deceitful election deal between the French government and the Turkish state. The question remains: what would Ahmed Sharaa tell President Erdogan about Alexandretta’s fate? Shame on those Arab states that relentlessly fund and assist Turkey’s expansionist policy. They should remember Djemal Pasha’s brutal crackdown on Arab nationalists in 1915.

Turkey is a NATO member. NATO is an alliance of democratic nations, yet it tolerates Turkey’s undemocratic policies both internally and externally. Now, Turkey is on the verge of purchasing the Eurofighter Typhoon jets in a deal worth billions of dollars with many European governments. That deal will likely silence many critics of Turkey’s policies.

For President Erdogan and Ahmad al-Sharaa, it seems acceptable that jihadists who entered Syria should become Syrian citizens to carry out violent policies against Druze, Alawites, and Kurds, serving as “cannon fodder” for Erdogan’s regional ambitions in Libya, Nagorno-Karabakh, and elsewhere. Yet the Kurdish people of Rojava are prohibited from even defending themselves with the help of their brethren from the other parts of Kurdistan. That is blatant hypocrisy.

President Erdogan may think that, because of his special relationship with U.S. President Donald J. Trump, he can continue advancing his perilous policies and skulduggery operation projects throughout the Middle East and beyond.

Erdogan is a warmonger who is intolerant of tolerance and threatens the region through military invasions and interventions. Turkish troops are present in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, the Persian Gulf region, and Cyprus, and have militarily supported Azerbaijan against Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh war.

Nothing is improbable or impossible. Many unpredictable changes can occur in the world. For example, Saddam Hussein in Iraq, Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, and the Bashar Assad dynasty in Syria—many others thought their rule would last forever, yet when time came, they were gone.

Another example: “On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., was attacked by a mob of supporters of President Donald Trump in an attempted self-coup, two months after his defeat in the 2020 presidential election” (Wikipedia).

Many political pundits predicted that Trump was politically finished, yet in 2025, he became the 47th president of the United States. Many experts, political pundits, and writers predict or think that the Middle East is on the verge of geopolitical change.

However, the international community most likely will not support a major boundary shift in the Middle East at this time. The borders imposed on Kurdistan remain unjust, unfair, brutal, undemocratic, and illegitimate as they are, etc. They are one of the root causes of the denial of the Kurdish nation as a coherent people.

In 2017, under the leadership of then-President Massoud Barzani, the Kurdish autonomous region in Iraq held a referendum seeking independence, but it received no international support. Perhaps in the future, the international community will support autonomy or a confederal system that ensures minority rights within the existing boundaries of the state. Any change to the Middle East map would not be an easy shift and would likely bring chaos, war, and bloodshed.

The primary impute (blame) should fall on Sir Mark Sykes, the British diplomat; François Georges-Picot, the French diplomat; and Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell, the British writer, traveler, political officer, and colonial adviser to the British Empire on Middle East and Levant issues. “She spent much of her life exploring and mapping the Middle East, who participated in both the 1919 Paris Peace Conference and the 1921 Cairo Conference, which helped decide the territorial boundaries and governments of the post-war Middle East as part of the partition of the Ottoman Empire” (Wikipedia).

They pursued their colonial interests in the region, disregarding the rights of the Kurdish people, and dividing up their land. Responsibility also lies with the authoritarian regimes of the Middle East, which have ignored the suffering of their people and ruled through an iron fist.

These colonial-era states were built on false foundations, with hereditary rulers imposed by foreign powers. They were not based on democratic institutions. The enduring chaos of the region stems from chauvinistic policies and entrenched authoritarianism. On Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa’s visit to the White House: Will he reform from Islamic jihadist autocracy to democratic liberalism? It is too soon to predict his deeds or accomplishments, but time will tell what trajectory his rule will take.

If future border changes occur, part of the blame will also rest with the heads of these authoritarian regimes, whose failure to build democratic systems and uphold checks and balances has perpetuated corruption, crushed dissent, and concentrated power in the hands of rulers and their families.

It’s time to end these misguided policies of centralized authorities. It’s time to break the chains of illegal and illegitimate borders in the Middle East. It’s time to redraw the outdated, fake, and unjust boundaries imposed upon Kurdistan.

Omar Sindi, a senior writer, analyst and columnist for iKurd.net, Washington, United States.

The opinions are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of iKurd.net or its editors.

Copyright © 2025 iKurd.net. All rights reserved

No Thanks to Afforestation ‘Turkey plants thousands of seedlings in Erbil’, Iraqi Kurdistan!

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SULAIMANI,— Large amounts of waste oil have been illegally dumped in a dry stream near Dukan Lake and Dam in Sulaimani governorate, raising concerns over potential contamination of the lake’s water supply.

Environmentalists warn that the spill could threaten drinking water for more than two million people who rely on Dukan Lake.

Witnesses in the area reported seeing tankers carrying oil spill their contents in the stream. The vehicles were reportedly registered in cities across the Kurdistan Region, and locals said the oil likely came from regional oil fields.

Environmental experts described the dumping as a serious environmental hazard. “We believe that a company, a factory, or an oil refinery may be behind this,” said a local environmentalist, calling the incident a disaster for the region.

The forest police confirmed that the spilled substance is waste oil, a heavy and hazardous material. Multiple tankers were observed discharging the waste, although authorities have not yet identified the responsible party.

Activists warned that rainfall could carry the oil into the Dukan Dam, threatening aquatic life and the local drinking water supply.

Residents in the surrounding area say that although Kurdistan authorities have been informed, no immediate steps have been taken to contain the spill and prevent it from reaching the lake.

The spill site is located roughly three kilometers from the Dukan reservoir, with contamination stretching over 500 meters along the valley.

As of Tuesday, cleanup efforts had not yet begun, but local environments said a decision had been made to deploy teams to remove the oil.

Environmental activists highlighted the broader risks. They say this is not just about drinking water but also poses a danger to livestock, crops, and wildlife in the area.

Dukan Dam, which holds more than 50 million cubic meters of water, is a key resource for the region. It supports fish populations and attracts tourists.

Authorities have also been carrying out environmental initiatives to maintain fish populations, releasing 250,000 fingerlings in August and 70,000 fish in September to replenish the lake’s ecosystem.

Environmental groups continue to monitor the situation closely as they prepare cleanup plans and investigate who is responsible for the dumping.

The question now is when the Kurdistan Region authorities will begin the cleanup, which will require significant time and expense. Time is critical, as the rainy season is already underway.

(Credit: NRT | 964 Media | Agencies)

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SULAIMANI,— A disturbing video released by the PAK Organization, an animal welfare group based in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, has drawn widespread outrage after showing two men and a young boy dragging a stray dog through the Sarchinar neighborhood of Sulaimani city with a wire tied around its neck.

The footage, published Wednesday, sparked condemnation on social media and reignited debate over the treatment of stray animals in the region.

According to the PAK Organization, the act represents more than a single case of cruelty. In a statement, the group said the scene reveals “a culture of violence” that not only harms animals but also teaches children to tolerate abuse.

“This is not just a dog being tortured,” the group said. “This is a child being taught cruelty and indifference. Such acts endanger both the child’s well-being and the moral health of society.”

The statement added that the video reflects “thousands of similar incidents” that occur daily in parts of Sulaimani, blaming ignorance and poor awareness for the mistreatment of animals.

The incident comes one month after Sulaimani authorities introduced a cash reward program for capturing stray dogs. Residents who catch the animals receive between 2,000 and 3,000 Iraqi dinars — about $1.50 to $2.00 per dog.

Some observers have described Kurdistan as “a hell for stray dogs,” citing frequent killings and the absence of adequate care for the animals.

Animal welfare advocates say stray dogs across the Kurdistan Region are frequently harassed, beaten, struck by vehicles, or even shot.

In the video, the dog appears to bleed and urinate from fear while being pulled toward a vehicle headed for the city’s animal shelter.

The woman filming the scene can be heard questioning the men’s actions, asking about their sense of morality. One of the men responds dismissively, saying, “What God? What are you talking about?” before continuing to drag the dog away.

Animal rights groups have long criticized conditions in Sulaimani’s shelter, describing it as overcrowded and unsanitary. Activists claim many animals there die from neglect or starvation.

The Kurdistan Region passed its first animal protection law in late 2022, making it illegal to kill stray animals by any method. Despite the legislation, activists say enforcement is weak and violence against animals remains common.

An estimated 300,000 stray dogs live across Iraqi Kurdistan Region, according to the Sulaimani-based Kurdistan Green Party. Advocates argue that most of these dogs are safer on the streets than in shelters where they face harsh conditions or death.

Reports from shelters in Erbil and Zakho indicate similar issues, with facilities operating far beyond capacity. A shelter in Sulaimani, built in 2021 on five dunams of land, is also overcrowded and struggling with damaged infrastructure.

Footage released in March 2025 from Duhok showing city workers mistreating dogs prompted renewed calls for reform.

In Iraqi Kurdistan, Muslim preachers routinely issue Islamic fatwas that permit the killing of stray dogs.

Animal welfare advocates say the government must strengthen its laws and promote humane methods to manage the stray population. Critics warn that the current practices continue to harm the Kurdistan Region’s reputation and fail to solve the problem.

What Islam and its spiritual leader, known as “Prophet” Muhammad, say about dogs:

In Sahih Muslim, from ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd, who said: The Messenger of Allah used to command the killing of dogs, so we would go out into Medina and its outskirts; we would not leave a dog except that we killed it, to the point that we even killed the “murayyah” (diminutive of “woman”) of the people of the desert that followed her.

And in Sahih Muslim also, from Ibn al-Mughāfil, he said: The Messenger of Allah commanded the killing of dogs, then said: “What is the matter with them and the dogs?”

In Sunan al-Nasā’ī, from ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mughāfil, he said: The Messenger of Allah said: “Were it not that the dogs are a nation among the nations, I would have ordered their killing; so kill from among them the black, fierce ones.”

(With files from Agencies)

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SULAIMANI,— Authorities in Sulaimani, in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, have launched a weeklong campaign to collect stray dogs across the city and surrounding areas ahead of the new school year, the municipality announced Friday.

According to the statement, residents who capture stray dogs will receive compensation ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 Iraqi dinars, or about $1.50 to $2.00 per dog.

The program begins Saturday. Captured dogs will be relocated to a shelter in Razyana village, located southeast of Sulaimani.

The municipality said that animals must be delivered under certain conditions. “If a dog has puppies, the mother and the puppies must be handed in together,” the statement read.

A reward of 3,000 dinars ($2.30) will be provided if the dogs are delivered directly to the shelter, while those given to collection teams will bring 2,000 dinars ($1.50). Officials also noted that only dogs captured within Sulaimani province will be accepted.

The campaign comes as local officials urge support from animal welfare groups and residents. The municipality said its aim is to improve public safety while ensuring care for the animals.

The Kurdistan Region has long struggled with a large stray dog population. Erbil authorities conducted a similar initiative earlier this year.

Animal rights organizations, however, have repeatedly criticized such drives, pointing to overcrowded shelters, shortages of food, and poor conditions that often lead to high mortality rates.

Reports from shelters in Erbil and Zakho show facilities housing thousands of animals beyond capacity. In Erbil, a shelter built two years ago spans 20 dunams of land and has taken in more than 17,000 dogs in less than a year.

In Sulaimani, a shelter built in 2021 on five dunams is now facing overcrowding and damaged infrastructure.

Officials in Duhok province are still building a shelter, while Halabja and other autonomous administrations lack permanent facilities.

Violence against stray dogs is also widespread in Iraqi Kurdistan. The animals are often harassed, struck with sticks, killed in traffic accidents, or shot.

Activists say the Kurdistan Region has no effective legislation to protect animals. Recent footage from Duhok in March 2025 showing mistreatment of dogs by city workers sparked renewed calls for reforms.

Critics argue that the lack of humane policies continues to damage the region’s image while leaving the problem unresolved.

(With files from Rudaw | Channel8 | Agencies)

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DUKAN,— Water levels at Dukan Dam in Iraq’s Kurdistan region have plunged to near-record lows due to declining rainfall and upstream dam construction, posing a growing threat to water access for millions, local officials told AFP.

The dam, located in Sulaimani province, currently holds just 1.6 billion cubic meters of water, about 24% of its maximum 7 billion cubic meter capacity. This is the lowest point in roughly two decades, Kochar Jamal Tawfeeq, the director of the facility told AFP.

“Levels have not fallen this low in nearly 20 years,” Tawfeeq said. He attributed the shortage to long-term climate shifts and irregular rainfall patterns that have become increasingly unpredictable in recent years.

During the latest winter season, the Dukan area received only 220 millimeters of rainfall—far below the seasonal average of 600 millimeters. The reduced precipitation has contributed to shrinking reserves across the region.

Satellite imagery reviewed by AFP showed that the lake’s surface area declined by 56% between May 2019, when the reservoir was last full, and early June 2025.

The visual data illustrates the extent of the drop in water levels and the changing shape of the shoreline, where cracks and dry zones have begun to appear.

Tawfeeq also cited damming activities on the Little Zab River in neighboring Iran as a key contributing factor.

The river, which feeds into Dukan Dam, has been increasingly tapped upstream for Iran’s domestic water needs. Dozens of new dam structures have been built on Iranian territory in recent years, affecting the river’s flow into Iraq.

Baghdad has long voiced concern over water restrictions linked to dam projects by Iran and Turkey. Both countries control key water sources that flow into Iraq, including the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Iraqi authorities argue that these upstream interventions have significantly reduced water availability downstream, worsening the nation’s water crisis.

Iraq, home to 46 million people, is experiencing widespread effects of climate change. Rising temperatures, recurring drought, and land degradation have intensified in recent years, pushing national water reserves to their lowest recorded levels in 80 years, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

The shortage is affecting agriculture across the region. In the hillside village of Sarsian, farmer Hussein Khader Sheikhah planted wheat on 13 hectares last winter.

He said the crop failed almost entirely due to the lack of rain. “I lost about $5,700,” Sheikhah told Reuters.

In a bid to recover some of the losses, he has turned to planting summer crops—such as beans, chickpeas, melons, and cucumbers—on a smaller plot near the river. “One hectare won’t make up for the rest, but it’s all I can do,” he said.

The water crisis has also disrupted municipal supply systems. In Sulaimani and Kirkuk governorates, approximately four million people are affected by reduced access.

In Kirkuk, local official Zaki Karim reported a 40% drop in water delivered to treatment plants.

“We’ve had to impose stricter rationing measures,” Karim said. Authorities are also increasing oversight to prevent illegal tapping of water lines and are conducting awareness campaigns aimed at reducing household consumption.

“We’re working to ensure that even during reduced supply, no district experiences a full cutoff,” Karim added.

(With files from AFP)

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ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan Region,— Authorities in Erbil have rolled out a new initiative that offers cash incentives to citizens who capture stray dogs, drawing sharp criticism from animal rights groups.

The city’s environmental protection department is offering 3,000 Iraqi dinars — about $2 — for each stray dog turned over to an official shelter, according to Zhyar Jalal, head of the city’s Services and Environmental Protection Directorate.

The campaign aims to reduce Erbil’s soaring stray dog population, which officials estimate at 31,000.

Participants in the program must equip their vehicles with cages before they are approved. “Only those who install dog-catching cages on their motorcycles or vehicles will be eligible to sign contracts,” Jalal told Rudaw TV on Sunday.

While local officials defend the initiative as a necessary public health and safety measure, animal welfare advocates have condemned the move.

Critics say the payment structure encourages abusive behavior and turns dog collection into a commercial opportunity for untrained individuals.

“This system is wide open to abuse,” one activist told iKurd News. “We’ve already seen disturbing footage from Duhok in March 2025, where dogs were mishandled by municipal workers. There’s no oversight on how these dogs are being treated.”

“Who monitors what happens between the streets and the shelter?” he added.

According to Jalal, more than 16,000 strays have been collected in Erbil since the city ramped up control efforts. Roughly half of the stray dog population is currently held in shelters, while the rest remain on the streets.

A shelter built last year along the Erbil-Gwer road cost more than 480 million dinars (around $320,000), but capacity and resource concerns persist.

Activists claim the facilities are overcrowded, poorly maintained, and frequently understocked with food — contributing to high mortality rates among captured animals.

The Kurdistan Region has long struggled with managing its stray animal population. In cities like Erbil and Zakho, dogs are often beaten, run over, or shot. Many residents view them as threats to safety and sanitation.

Adding to the controversy, Muslim religious clerics have endorsed rulings allowing the killing of stray dogs, which has sparked further tension with animal welfare groups.

Activists argue that the Kurdistan Region lacks any meaningful legal framework for animal protection and that political inaction continues to stall progress.

The March 2025 footage from Duhok — showing the brutal treatment of strays by city workers — has reignited debate both inside and outside the region. Observers say such scenes damage the reputation of the Kurdistan Region and spotlight the urgent need for humane policy reform.

As Erbil presses forward with its bounty-style program, rights advocates are calling for an immediate review and oversight mechanism to prevent further abuse.

(With files from Rudaw | Agencies)

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ERBIL,— The first reported case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) this year in Iraq’s Kurdistan region has been identified in Koya, a town in Erbil province, regional health officials said Friday.

The infected individual, a 42-year-old man employed as a butcher, is being treated in Erbil. His condition is currently stable, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, Sarkar Surchi, said in a statement.

CCHF is a serious viral disease that spreads to humans through the bite of infected ticks or contact with contaminated animal blood and tissue.

Though livestock such as sheep, goats, and cattle carry the virus without symptoms, they are key vectors in its transmission to humans. The illness is associated with high fever, internal bleeding, and can be fatal in up to 40% of cases.

The Kurdistan Regional Government enacted precautionary protocols last month in anticipation of increased seasonal risk, following a pattern of rising cases in recent years.

The disease, present in Iraq since at least 1979, remains a concern for national health officials. In 2022, Iraq—including the Kurdistan region—saw nearly 140 cases of hemorrhagic fevers, including CCHF, and 12 related deaths. In 2023, the health ministry reported over 375 confirmed CCHF cases nationwide.

So far in 2025, at least 22 infections have been reported across Iraq, including three fatalities, health authorities confirmed.

Public health agencies continue to issue warnings and encourage individuals who work closely with livestock to exercise increased caution.

Officials have not released further information on additional suspected cases, but monitoring and surveillance are ongoing.

(With files from Agencies)

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ERBIL,— The mistreatment of stray dogs in Iraqi Kurdistan Region has drawn growing criticism amid reports of abuse and neglect, with authorities facing pressure over their handling of the issue.

Stray dogs in the region are often subjected to harsh treatment, including being chased away, beaten, or pelted with stones. In some cases, they are hit by vehicles or shot. Videos circulating online have shown children throwing rocks at the animals, while others document dogs being killed.

Some animal rights activists have described the Kurdistan Region as a “hell for stray dogs” due to the frequent killings and lack of proper care.

A recent viral video showing stray dogs being unloaded from a truck and beaten in Duhok fueled outrage on social media. The footage surfaced shortly after Bardarash authorities, in Duhok province, began transferring strays to a shelter in Erbil following a deadly attack on a two-year-old child by a pack of dogs.

Experts argue that stray dogs typically do not attack humans unless provoked. Animal welfare advocates say that violent behavior in dogs is often a response to mistreatment, and they call for more humane approaches to managing the stray population.

Zhyar Jalal, head of Erbil’s services and environmental protection directorate, denied responsibility for the abuse seen in the video. “The reports linking this incident to Erbil are inaccurate,” Jalal told Rudaw. “Following this, we have stopped accepting dogs from Bardarash.”

Authorities in Bardarash had launched a campaign to round up stray dogs after the child’s death, citing public safety concerns. Bardarash district mayor Sirwan Hassan said officials held discussions before deciding to transfer the animals to Erbil.

In 2023, Erbil authorities established a stray dog shelter at a cost of over 480 million Iraqi dinars (about $320,000). However, activists argue that funding alone is not enough. “It doesn’t matter how much you spend on a shelter,” an activist said. “You need to hire the right people—those who care about animals. The job must be done by animal lovers and activists, not by people without compassion.”

The facility, located on the Erbil-Gwer road, has faced criticism for overcrowding and inadequate resources. Similar challenges have been reported at a shelter in Zakho, where a shortage of food and poor conditions have led to the deaths of many animals.

Authorities in Erbil have captured 14,000 stray dogs as part of ongoing efforts to manage the growing population, officials said. However, animal rights activists have condemned the methods used, calling for humane solutions.

Muslim religious rulings allowing the killing of stray dogs have also sparked controversy, deepening tensions between activists and religious leaders. Critics say the Kurdistan Region lacks comprehensive animal protection laws, and efforts to address the issue remain hindered by political and administrative challenges.

The viral footage of abused stray dogs has further tarnished the region’s image, with some observers noting that this is hardly the best advertisement for Iraqi Kurdistan.

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