Iraq launches nationwide campaign to remove water hyacinth from rivers

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq has launched a nationwide campaign to clear water hyacinth from the Tigris River and other waterways, with initial operations underway in the provinces of Babil and Diwaniyah. The effort brings together the ministries of water resources, environment and local administration alongside civil society organizations and volunteer teams. Deputy First Speaker of Parliament Adnan Finhan al-Duleimi said the campaign, which began at the Hindiya Barrage, will be expanded across the country. He described the invasive plant as a serious threat to water resources, the environment and agricultural production. Water Resources Ministry spokesperson Khalid Shimal said ministry experts have been identifying critical sites and using mechanical equipment, remote sensing and satellite imagery to track the plant's spread. Environment Ministry official Amir Ali al-Hasun said work is continuing under a joint government plan on all water surfaces, primarily the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Baghdad Provincial Council member and head of the Baghdad Services Authority Ayat al-Muzaffar said the plant's spread in the Tigris is driven by pollution, adding that untreated wastewater is a main source of the problem. No timeline for completing the nationwide campaign was immediately provided.