Bulldozing orchards phenomenon expands in Khanaqin

The head of the Directorate, Ebrahim Khalil Ali, told Shafaq News Agency that more than 25 lawsuits have been lodged by the district at the court against perpetrators, highlighting the coordination with the municipality to combat these deeds.

"80% of Khanaqin's orchards have vanished because of the illegal aggression against the orchards," he noted, "we launched extensive awareness campaigns to counter this phenomenon."

In February 2019, the Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture put all the laws on the prevention of bulldozing orchards into force in accordance with Act No. 634 of 1981 and Cabinet Decision No. 50 of 2016.

The officials of the administrative units complain that they have no legal powers to arrest and detain persons sabotaging orchards and agricultural lands, with legal measures limited to the competent courts exclusively.