Iraq: Iraq’s Continuing Struggle with Conflict Pollution

Mar 12, 2015 | Wim Zwijnenburg, Insight on Conflict
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While Iraq is still recovering from the environmental impact of both Gulf wars, it now faces new environmental problems caused by the current conflict against the Islamic State (IS). Since the uprising began in June 2014, fierce battles have taken place in and around cities and industrial areas, affecting the already precarious environmental situation.

Heavy fighting in and around the Baiji oil refinery, and attacks on other industrial installation have led to the release of a range of hazardous substances into the environment, affecting soil and groundwater. Other battles have taken place near Kirkuk’s oil fields and it is likely IS will continue to focus their attacks on oil and gas installations, thereby increasing the likelihood of chemical incidents and subsequent environmental contamination and civilian exposure to hazardous substances.