In late December, a hashtag began trending in Iraq that literally means “starve them” and implies “starving” armed groups and “[political] parties [linked to militias]” operating in Iraq that are involved in the drug trade and that use the proceeds to buy weapons and support, acting as de facto mafia-type organizations.
No specific “parties” are referred to but the same word was often used during the massive protests in late 2019 that brought down the government at the time to refer to Iran-linked groups.
On Iraq’s western border, the captagon drug trade continues to flourish, according to local security sources this journalist has met with in person on multiple reporting trips to the border area in recent years.
Over three years later, drug smuggling and use continue and appear to be increasing across Iraq.
