Iraqi Parliament’s Water Resources Commission speaks out, accuses Turkey of water warfare

BAGHDAD – The Iraqi parliamentarian Water Resources Commission accuses Turkey of waging a war against Iraq through its handling of water resources flowing out of Turkey. It complains Turkey is deliberately causing low river water levels and water shortages, and this at a time when rainfall is estimated half of last year’s rainfall.

Through a series of finished and under-construction irrigation works and hydroelectric dams, Turkey effectively fully controls water outflows through the Euphrates and Tigris to Syria and Iraq. The Iraqi parliamentarian Water Resources Commission stated that,

“Turkey has been cutting of Iraq’s share of (river) water to an unacceptable level and broken agreements. This is to the detriment of our farmers and agricultural lands. If Turkey continues to act this way, Iraq will see itself entering a threatening and miserable situation.”

The Water Resources Commission of Iraqi parliament urged the central government to act quickly and use all possible means of pressure to safeguard Iraq’s share of water resources. The Commission also stated that Iraq is already going through a severe political crisis and that the water crisis only aggravates the political crisis. Iraq cannot handle a new crisis. The Water Resources Commission also said that it hopes that the government will use bilateral trade as a pressure means and stop trade with Turkey until the water levels are back at agreed levels.

Read in (Latin) Syriac