UNIPATH STAFF
Illegal construction of unplanned developments in Iraq is consuming the country’s resources, such as municipal, social and financial services, as well as creating new security threats. More than 2.4 million people live in 347,881 illegal homes across the country, according to the Iraqi Ministry of Planning. Alsabah Aljaded newspaper reported that 4.33 percent of the illegal homes are in Baghdad, and 3.8 percent are in Basra.
This trend spread across the country after 2003, as criminals claimed land and sold pieces to the poor. People began building homes randomly without considering the impact on resources and public planning. As a result, new ugly cities formed within cities. These random developments are not connected to the sewer, and many have illegally tapped into nearby city power and water. Lakes of sewage have formed, posing disease threats.
These illegal homes drain power intended for other uses. For instance, electricity planned for 10 homes instead feeds 100 illegal homes. The homes disrupt electricity for the entire city and can destroy local transformers.
The biggest challenge posed by illegal building is security. Residents of these random cities come from unknown places and unknown backgrounds. Police and authorities have difficulty providing protection because the unauthorized housing does not appear on municipal maps, which makes the developments good hideouts for organized crime and terrorist groups. In Basra, for example, authorities found homes used by a kidnapping network to hold hostages. In Baghdad, authorities captured a gang that robbed wealthy homes by acting as official security forces. A child was murdered in one of the dark narrow alleys of an illegal development in Baghdad.
These “hot” areas are considered preferred locations to construct car bombs and have become temporary transfer facilities for terrorists and weapon caches.