Basrah

COMMON ANALYSIS
Last update: June 2022

General information

Basrah (Basra, Al-Basrah, Al-Basra) is Iraq’s southeasternmost governorate and has internal borders with Muthanna, Thi-Qar (Dhi Qar) and Missan governorates. It is situated along the Shatt al-Arab waterway, which connects to the Persian Gulf. Basrah has international borders with Iran to the east and Kuwait to the south. It also borders Saudi-Arabia at the tripoint with Kuwait. The governorate is divided into seven districts: Abu Al-Khaseeb (Abu Khaseeb, Abi Khasib), Al-Midaina (Al-Mahoudiya, Al-Madina), Al-Qurna (Al-Qarna), Al-Zubair, Basrah, Fao (Al-Faw), and Shatt Al-Arab. The capital of the governorate is Basrah City.

The Iraqi CSO estimated the governorate’s population for 2021 at 3 142 449 with around 2 552 000 in urban areas. Shia Arabs constitute the majority of the governorate’s population, but there is also a significant Sunni minority. Other groups present are small Christian communities and Sabean Mandeans. Additionally, the African Iraqi minority (Black Iraqis) also predominantly lives in Basrah.

Basrah governorate is considered to be of strategic and economic importance because it contains a significant proportion of Iraq’s oil reserves, including the largest oilfield in Iraq, Rumaila. The port of Basrah and the port of Umm Qasr (Um Qasr) make the governorate a centre for trade, transportation and storage. In spite of being considered Iraq’s economic capital, Basrah’s population suffers from poverty, high unemployment and lack of basic services.

Background of the conflict

Basrah governorate is marked by ’political, legal, bureaucratic and administrative crises’ and suffers from a lack of political transparency, accountability and rampant corruption. These factors impede necessary developments, led to a deterioration of livelihoods, subsequently triggered protests and sparked tribal conflicts over access to employment in oil companies or compensation if oil is discovered on tribal lands. Increasing drug trafficking and smuggling in Basrah’s ports as well as the worsening water crisis also account for sometimes fatal tribal conflicts. The government launched campaigns to seize unlicensed weaponry in areas characterised by armed tribal conflicts in an attempt to curb the outbreaks of tribal violence. A corrupt customs evasion cartel is reported to operate along Iraq’s borders. Impunity of significant traffickers added to suspicions of PMF involvement in the drug trade. Some tribe members are also reportedly involved in drug trafficking and its combating, which in turn fuels tribal conflicts.

During the reference period, protests involving blocking of roads occurred and clashes broke out between security forces and protesters. Human rights organisations denounced the impunity in regard to attacks on and even killings of civil society members and protesters in Basrah. Following the killings, protests erupted again in the governorate.

Actors: control and presence

Sources referred to tight-knit relationships between Iraqi security forces, local tribes PMF and militias that have resulted in the formation of a ’more cohesive apparatus of repression’ in Basrah than elsewhere in Iraq. The Basrah Operations Command of the Iraqi forces, responsible for ensuring security in the governorate, has not been able to assert command over the governorate due to lack of manpower. The Badr forces have a notable presence in the governorate and state security agencies do not have the power to interfere with PMF activities. A variety of Shia political parties as well as PMF networks are competing to secure their interests in the local oil economy. Different to the situation in Baghdad, in Basrah the various parties, including the PMF, are focusing less on controlling neighbourhoods and ministries rather than on acquiring assets. Political parties and PMF have distributed control to ports, oil fields, airport, factories, companies, electricity structures, border crossings and hospitals.

Nature of violence and examples of incidents

Violent tribal disputes remained a significant problem in Basrah governorate. The recurrent and intense wave of protests as well as the COVID-19-related health and economic crisis further exacerbated existing societal tensions. In Basrah, tribal disputes often featured the use of heavy weaponry and drones.

It has been reported that IED attacks targeted supply convoys or shipping stations of the International Coalition against ISIL in Basrah governorate. IED explosions targeting the property of an ISF officer and a law office in Basrah city were also reported.

Incidents: data

Between August 2020 and October 2021, ACLED reported 167 security incidents in Basrah (average of 2.6 security incidents per week) of which 65 were coded as battles, 58 as explosions/remote violence and 44 as violence against civilians. UNAMI^[30] recorded 14 armed conflict-related incidents, 2 taking place from 1st August to 31 December 2020 and 12 from 1st January until 31 October 2021 (average of 0.2 security incidents per week for the full reference period).

Geographical scope

The majority of the security incidents took place in Basrah district.

Civilian casualties: data

In the reference period, UNAMI recorded a total of 22 civilian casualties (6 deaths and 16 injuries) in the aforementioned armed conflict-related incidents. More specifically, 1 casualty was reported in 2020 and 21 casualties from 1st January until 31 October 2021. Compared to the official figures for the population in the governorate, this represents 1 civilian casualty per 100 000 inhabitants for the reference period.

Displacement

As of 30 September 2021, 5 616 IDPs were registered in Basrah governorate. No IDPs originating from Basrah were registered elsewhere in the country. According to IOM, no returns to Basrah governorate were documented.

Further impact on civilians

Basrah governorate, particularly Basrah district, is reportedly one of the most affected areas in regard to landmine and war remnant contamination in Iraq. By the end of 2020, 36 365 119 square metres of the governorate were reported to be cluster munition-contaminated and 842 950 454 square metres contaminated with anti-personnel mines. Nomadic communities were reportedly particularly at risk from cluster munition remnants.