Iraq
The Shatt al-Arab waterway in Iraq's southernmost Basra province. Photo: Bilind T. Abdullah/Rudaw
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A tribal conflict in Iraq’s southernmost Basra province on Monday left one person dead and eight others injured, local sources told Rudaw.
The dispute broke out between two families from the al-Bazzoun tribe in the al-Zubair district, located west of Basra, on the first day of Eid al-Fitr in Iraq on Monday, leading to an armed clash.
Local Iraqi media reported that the families had a long standing dispute and that one of those injured was a bystander.
Zubair is an oil-rich district, producing approximately 200,000 barrels per day and spanning 11,618 square kilometers.
Tribal conflicts in southern Iraq continue to be a top security concern for the Iraqi government.
Armed clashes remain a frequent occurrence in Basra, Maysan, and Dhi Qar provinces, with some requiring intervention from the Iraqi military. These disputes typically involve light and medium weapons, and in some cases, mortar shells.
The violence is driven by deeper issues such as control over agricultural land, water resources, and border crossings. These conflicts are also compounded by the widespread availability of arms, with tribes in the region possessing millions of weapons, many obtained from military caches of the regime of toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and paramilitary groups.
The dynamics of tribal violence have evolved in recent years with political parties sometimes covering for their tribal affiliates, exacerbating the situation. The complex web of tribal, political, and paramilitary networks make it difficult for the government to enforce rule of law.
Between 2019 and 2021, Basra alone witnessed 280 armed disputes, resulting in 35 deaths and 74 injuries.
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