Five Iraqi security personnel injured in Basra drug clash

Shafaq News – Basra

Several Iraqi security personnel were injured during armed clashes with drug traffickers in Basra province, southern Iraq, a security source told Shafaq News on Wednesday.

According to the source, the clash erupted with a group of drug dealers in the Al-Zubair district, leaving five security personnel wounded with varying injuries. Several suspects were later detained, while others escaped and remain under pursuit.

The incident comes as Iraq intensifies efforts to combat drug trafficking. Earlier this week, the Al-Karkh Criminal Court in Baghdad sentenced two traffickers to death for attempting to smuggle 102 kilograms of Captagon and 96 kilograms of hashish.

By the end of 2024, the Interior Ministry had dismantled 600 domestic and international drug trafficking networks, referring their members to the judiciary for prosecution. In 2023, more than 7,000 individuals were convicted of drug-related offenses, receiving penalties ranging from imprisonment to the death sentence.

Iraq has long served as a transit route for drugs moving from Afghanistan and Iran to Europe and Gulf states. Since the 2003 US-led overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s government, the country has also witnessed a steady rise in domestic drug consumption amid ongoing security and economic challenges.

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