Iraq security brief: Basra protest crackdown, fatal crash in Al-Anbar

2026-02-23 - 21:44

Below is a summary of key security and public safety incidents reported across Iraq on February 23. - Police Arrest Protesters During Oil Jobs Demonstration (Basra) Security forces arrested three former FCC unit workers and dispersed a protest outside Basra Oil Company as demonstrators demanded reinstatement under the Ministry of Oil. - Massive Factory Fire Erupts (Kirkuk) Civil Defense teams rushed to contain a large fire inside a sponge manufacturing plant in southern Kirkuk after thick smoke billowed across the area. - Municipal Worker Killed in Tanker Crash (Al-Anbar) A municipal employee died and another sustained injuries when a government water tanker crashed during official duties, the municipality announced. - Gunman Arrested After Firing Near MP’s Home (Kirkuk) Police detained a suspect who opened fire in front of the residence of Iraqi MP Gulsel Abdul Rahman and seized the weapon used in the attack. - Security Forces Capture Murder Suspect (Babil) Police arrested a suspect in a fatal shooting in a remote agricultural area and recovered the Kalashnikov rifle used in the crime. - Police Foil Self-Immolation Attempt (Nineveh) Security forces in Mosul prevented a man in his twenties from setting himself on fire with gasoline and transferred him for medical care. - Woman Dies in Suspected Suicide (Baghdad) A young woman died after hanging herself inside her home following family disputes.