Image source: Reuters
The Jurf al-Nasr area, formerly known as Jurf al-Sakhar, has returned to the forefront of controversy in Iraq, after the circulation of what was said to be an intelligence report talking about organized operations to smuggle oil and its derivatives from the area located north of Babil Governorate, south of Baghdad.
The report, which was not officially announced by the Iraqi authorities, includes accusations of activities related to oil smuggling within the region, amid talk about a possible role for armed factions. However, none of these allegations have been proven by the results of official investigations so far.
According to local media, the report consists of 19 pages and includes satellite images, and refers to the movement of oil tanks and facilities suspected of being used to illegally withdraw, store, and transport oil to Baghdad and other areas.
Jurf al-Nasr has enjoyed special security sensitivity since Iraqi forces regained control over it from the so-called Islamic State in 2014, while media reports indicate the presence of security influence by the Iraqi Hezbollah Brigades within the region.
However, Kataib Hezbollah denies its control over Jurf al-Nasr, and confirms that the forces deployed there are affiliated with the Iraqi state institutions.
Iraqi armed factions say that the area has become open to the return of residents after completing security inspection procedures, while other reports speak of continued security restrictions imposed on entry to it, with limited access for independent media.
Government and parliamentary investigations
Information circulating about oil smuggling sparked official action at the governmental and parliamentary levels.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi issued a directive to form a higher investigation committee that includes officials from security, oversight, and intelligence institutions to verify the accuracy of the information contained in the report.
Most read end
The committee entered the Jurf Al-Nasr area on Friday to begin its field investigations, days after accusations were circulated regarding the existence of facilities used to smuggle oil and its derivatives.
Head of the Security Media Commission, Saad Maan, said that the committee began its work since the early hours of the morning, denying the participation of any political parties or armed factions in its formation.
Later, an Iraqi security source told the BBC that the committee had completed its field work and left the region, and would submit the results of its investigation to the Prime Minister’s Office after completing the final report.
This coincided with the formation of a temporary parliamentary committee that includes members of specialized parliamentary committees to follow up on the file and verify the information circulating regarding possible smuggling operations.
On the other hand, the Governor of Babylon, Ali Turki, denied the validity of the allegations related to the existence of smuggling operations in the region, and said that one of the sites referred to in the report is nothing but an old gas station used to supply fuel to security vehicles.
Political and security circles are awaiting the results of the government investigation, which is expected to determine the veracity of the accusations and potential responsibilities if violations are proven.
Image source: Getty Images
An area that has been controversial since 2014
Stay updated with the latest current affairs
Download the app
BBC Arabic application for mobile phones
Jurf al-Nasr is located north of Babil Governorate, near the administrative border with Anbar Governorate, and is considered one of the areas of strategic importance due to its location between Baghdad and the western and southern regions of the country.
The area witnessed violent battles in 2014 before Iraqi forces regained control of it in October of that year. After it was restored, the name “Jurf al-Nasr” was adopted instead of “Jurf al-Sakhar,” in a move that the authorities at the time linked to the victory over ISIS.
However, changing the name did not end the controversy surrounding the region, as a number of its residents and those displaced from it still use the old name, while some of them consider that the new name does not reflect the identity of the original region.
During the following years, Jurf al-Nasr turned into one of the most controversial files in Iraq, due to the security restrictions imposed on it, the failure of the return of a large part of its population, in addition to repeated accusations of the presence of widespread influence of armed factions within it.
Security authorities say that strict measures are necessary to prevent the return of extremist organizations and ensure the stability of the surrounding areas, while critics believe that the continuation of these restrictions for more than a decade raises questions about the administration of the region and the future of its residents.
Displaced persons file
The name Jurf al-Nasr is also linked to one of the oldest files of internal displacement in Iraq since the war against ISIS.
A large number of the region's residents were forced to leave during the battles that took place in 2014, and many of them are still demanding to return to their homes and property.
Although more than ten years have passed since control was regained, the return of residents is still a matter of disagreement between official authorities and parties supporting continued security checks.
Local reports indicate that thousands of families are still outside the area, while the authorities supporting the security measures confirm that any return must be made according to arrangements that ensure that elements linked to extremist organizations do not infiltrate.
American accusations and security concerns
Jurf Al-Nasr's presence was not limited to the internal Iraqi debate, but its name has emerged in recent years in American statements and statements related to military operations against armed factions loyal to Iran.
The United States says that sites inside Iraq, including sites in Jurf al-Nasr, were used to store weapons, train personnel, and develop capabilities related to missiles and drones.
In January 2024, US Central Command announced the implementation of strikes targeting sites it said were linked to Kataib Hezbollah and other armed factions, including sites in Jurf al-Sakhar in Babil Governorate and al-Qaim in Anbar Governorate.
The American command said at the time that the strikes targeted training and weapons storage facilities, and that they came in response to attacks targeting American forces in the region.
On the other hand, the Iraqi government and armed factions condemned these strikes, considering them a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and targeting official Iraqi forces.
Security sovereignty and factional influence
Recent developments re-highlight the ongoing debate regarding the relationship between state security institutions and the armed factions that participated in the war against ISIS.
The Popular Mobilization Forces is an official Iraqi security institution linked to the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, but political controversy still exists regarding the nature of the relationship between some of its factions and the political or military wings associated with them.
Official authorities say that the presence of forces affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces in Jurf al-Nasr falls within the legal security deployment, while media reports speak of field influence by specific factions, including the Hezbollah Brigades.
In this context, the entry of government committees into the region is seen as a test of the ability of official institutions to exercise their oversight and investigative powers within areas with high security sensitivity.
Oil and public money
Oil smuggling accusations added a new economic dimension to the files related to Jurf al-Nasr.
Iraq relies mainly on oil revenues to finance the general budget, while the smuggling of crude oil and oil derivatives constitutes one of the most prominent challenges facing the regulatory and security agencies due to the financial losses it causes to the state.
Pending the announcement of the final results, the accusations related to oil smuggling remain unresolved, while the debate continues regarding Jurf al-Nasr, as it is an area where security, political, and humanitarian issues intersect, more than a decade after regaining control over it.
Find out more
Short clips
End of short clips
