Iraq's crime rate plummets 13% in early 2025

Shafaq News – Baghdad

A 13% decrease in criminal incidents was recorded in Iraq during the first half of 2025 compared to the last six months of 2024, the Interior Ministry announced on Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry’s spokesperson, Colonel Abbas al-Bahadli, explained that the decline “reflects efforts by law enforcement to curb crime across the country.”

On January 29, the Strategic Center for Human Rights in Iraq noted a 15% drop in crime rates in 2024 compared to 2023, based on data from the Interior Ministry.

According to the report, violent crimes—including murder and aggravated assault—fell by 20%. Theft-related crimes, including home and vehicle theft, dropped by 12%, while drug trafficking cases decreased by 18%.

Notably, Iraq ranked 8th among Arab countries and 80th globally out of 146 nations in the 2024 Crime Index published by Numbeo, a global platform that tracks crime rates, cost of living, and quality of life indicators.