Basra “toxic dump”: Rights commission demands state of emergency

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Iraq’s human rights office in Basra urged the government to declare a state of emergency, warning the province has become a “liquid dumping ground” for toxic waste amid worsening water contamination.

Mahdi al-Tamimi, the director of the commission’s Basra office, said the water crisis in 2025 poses an escalating threat to the population’s well-being and has received inadequate attention from authorities.

"Basra is facing a severe environmental danger due to unchecked water pollution, which places the city's residents at serious risk," al-Tamimi told Shafaq News.

He described the situation as critical, citing rising salinity levels and chemical pollutants in Shatt al-Arab waterway, exacerbated by prolonged diplomatic deadlock over water-sharing agreements and delays in promised federal and local infrastructure projects. He also criticized oil companies operating under licensing agreements for diverting fresh water for injection into oil wells, further straining public access to clean water.

According to al-Tamimi, northern districts of Basra are the hardest hit, lacking sewage systems and relying entirely on polluted rivers for drinking and daily use.

The commission has documented hundreds of illness cases in these areas, including severe dermatological, gastrointestinal, and in some instances, cancerous conditions, he said.

Al-Tamimi urged the federal government to form an emergency task force and issue a clear public plan to mitigate the crisis. "A decisive response is urgently needed to prevent the situation from spiraling into an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe," he warned.