Brigadier general, security officer killed in armed clash during Baghdad demolition operation

BAGHDAD, Iraq — An armed clash broke out during a demolition operation targeting unauthorized buildings in the Dawra area in southern Baghdad, killing a brigadier general and a security officer and wounding four others. The incident has renewed attention to Iraq's long-running issue of illegal construction and disputed property ownership, a problem that has accumulated over more than two decades. According to the Ministry of Construction and Housing, more than 4,000 informal settlements across Iraq house approximately 3 million people, and four successive governments have failed to pass dedicated legislation addressing the issue. The Ministry of Planning put the number of registered informal settlements at 4,679, with a population of 3.5 million, and said Baghdad ranks first with more than 1,000 such settlements. Former parliamentary head of the Reconstruction and Services Committee Mahma Khalil Agha said the country faces a housing need of around 5 million units and described illegal construction as an unresolved legacy from previous governments. Economist Safwan Qasi said the problem stems from the unauthorized change of land-use designations and called for comprehensive legislation. Legal expert Mohammed Juma said state institutions are obligated to prevent violations from the moment the first brick is laid, noting that plots of land have been subdivided and sold multiple times and that those responsible should be investigated. No further details on the identity of the casualties or the circumstances of the clash were immediately available.