Environmental disaster in Iraq: Large numbers of fish dying in Najaf.

Following increasing demands from citizens in the province of Najaf, the Iraqi authorities have announced an official intervention to investigate the phenomenon of a large number of fish dying in "Hawr Ben Najm," one of the prominent water sites in the province, which has raised widespread concerns among both the public and environmental circles. The Director of the Environment Department in Najaf, senior physicist Jamal Abdul Zeid, stated to the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that his department has received numerous complaints from residents and some officials regarding the sight of dead fish in the marsh, confirming the immediate formation of a specialized investigative team to visit the site and assess the situation on the ground. Abdul Zeid explained that it is premature to determine the exact cause behind this phenomenon, but he pointed out several possible reasons, including extreme water recession and drought, especially at the ends of rivers and connected ponds to Hawr Ben Najm, where the water becomes stagnant and lacks the necessary dissolved oxygen for fish life. Abdul Zeid did not rule out human factors behind what happened, suggesting that some fishermen may have resorted to harmful fishing methods such as using electricity or toxic substances intentionally, which are illegal and environmentally hazardous practices leading to mass fish mortality. The country is currently experiencing a severe heatwave with escalating dust, and the Iraqi Meteorological Authority has announced that temperatures are expected to reach 38 degrees Celsius in some areas, which may exacerbate the deterioration of environmental conditions in water bodies. Fish and the fishery wealth in Iraq are important resources for food security, national income, and supporting the local economy, making any threat to them a serious indicator requiring urgent intervention from the relevant authorities. The relevant authorities have begun coordinating with the environmental, health, and agricultural departments in the province to analyze samples and closely monitor the situation, in preparation for announcing the final results and determining preventive measures.