Dried-up river in Babil sparks protests and highway blockade

Shafaq News – Babil

On Friday, dozens of residents protested severe water shortages and the complete drying of rivers in Al-Majriyah, a district in the Babil province capital, Al-Hillah.

The demonstrators protested the drying of the Al-Majriyah river, which they described as a vital source of drinking and irrigation water for nearby villages and neighborhoods.

Protesters blocked the main road by burning tires and preventing the movement of vehicles. Security forces were deployed to maintain order and prevent escalation.

Local officials, including directors from Babil’s water authorities, arrived at the protest site and held direct talks with demonstrators. Their presence helped ease tensions, with authorities pledging urgent action and longer-term solutions.

The Ministry of Water Resources warned that 2025 could be one of the driest years since records began in 1933. It reported that inflows into the Tigris and Euphrates basins had fallen to 27% of last year’s levels, while reservoir storage now stands at just 8% of total capacity—a 57% year-on-year decline.

Al-Majriyah residents had also held a separate protest on July 24, demanding urgent government action to rescue their farms and livestock, both of which have been devastated by the river’s depletion. Security forces intervened to reopen the road after initial blockages and dispersed the crowd.