Diyala lawmaker says 6,400 cancer cases recorded, warns of waste-site risks

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A member of Iraq's parliament from Diyala province, Aws al-Mahdawi, said 6,400 cancer cases have been recorded in the province and that the number continues to rise. Speaking at a press conference in Baghdad, al-Mahdawi said landfills in Diyala are positioned dangerously close to city centers and residential areas, exposing residents to harmful emissions, odors and pollution. Al-Mahdawi called on authorities to draft a new waste-management plan that meets environmental standards and to relocate dump sites away from populated zones. He also urged authorities to identify pollution sources and strengthen oversight of waste disposal. The lawmaker attributed the rise in cancer cases to environmental factors, with poor waste management as the primary driver, and said field studies must be accelerated to address what he described as a public health crisis. No immediate response from provincial authorities was reported.