Baghdad authorities shut down unlicensed asphalt plants in overnight raids

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Baghdad Operations Command said on July 23, 2026, that asphalt production facilities operating in violation of environmental regulations in the northern part of the capital have been shut down. The command said a commission established under Diwani Order No. 241285 has been conducting inspections through overnight raids as part of efforts to curb environmental damage. According to the statement, the closures target unlicensed factories, workshops and metal-smelting furnaces whose emissions and odor from production processes contribute to air pollution. Authorities emphasized that the operations are aimed at reducing gas emissions and related environmental contamination in residential and surrounding areas. Officials worked jointly with teams from relevant state agencies to seal off asphalt plants in the Hamamiyat area that lacked proper licensing. The raids form part of an expanded inspection campaign focused on industrial facilities concentrated in northern Baghdad, where compliance with environmental and licensing requirements has been enforced more strictly in recent operations.