Iraq crime rates fall 14% despite US-Israel-Iran conflict

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Crime rates in Iraq fell by 14% in the first quarter of 2026 while security remained stable despite the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, the Interior Ministry said on Monday.

Brig. Gen. Muqdad Miri noted murders dropped by 34%, theft by 45%, and kidnappings by 33%, adding that Iraq’s 3,719-km border is fully secured with no significant breaches and that forces are operating under “coordinated, proactive” plans.

Miri also cited the spread of 534 rumors since the start of the war, saying many were debunked and legal action was taken against some.

The conflict, launched by the US and Israel against Iran on February 28, has spilled into Iraq, where health authorities report at least 108 deaths. A source told Shafaq News earlier that US airstrikes on PMF units killed 71 people and injured 196 others.