Iraq removes irrigation project director after resident complaints – Shafaq News

Shafaq News- Al-Diwaniyah

Iraq’s Water Resources Ministry on
Wednesday dismissed Ahmed Jaber Zeidan, the director of the Hurriya–Daghara
irrigation project in Al-Diwaniyah province, following complaints from
residents and “shortcomings” in the project’s management.

During a field tour to review water
conditions and local needs, Minister Muthanna Al-Tamimi also appointed a
replacement to the post, ordering increased water releases into the Al-Hillah
River to help secure drinking water supplies for the affected areas.

The Hurriya–Daghara project is one
of the main irrigation schemes in Al-Diwaniyah province, serving parts of Afak,
Daghara, Somar, Saniya, and Al-Bdair districts. It covers a total area of
635,000 dunums (about 63,500 hectares), including 207,000 dunums of developed
irrigated land. The initiative supports agricultural activity across a largely
arid region where farming depends heavily on river- and canal-fed irrigation.

Read more: Iraq’s water crisis: A structural rewrite of
agricultural governance

The development comes as Iraq is
experiencing one of its most severe drought periods in recent years, according
to the ministry, due to climate change and declining river inflows linked to
upstream water projects. Although the latest rainy season improved water levels
in dams and reservoirs, officials have described the gains as temporary relief
rather than a long-term solution.