Shafaq News- Mosul

Nearly 35,000 families —mostly relatives of martyrs— are blocked from building on their own land in Mosul, trapped in disputes fueled by political influence and commercial interests, a senior official told Shafaq News on Wednesday.

MP Sumaya Ghanem Al-Khabouri of The Sovereignty Alliance (Al-Siyada) criticized the Nineveh provincial Council for leaving the issue unresolved, pointing out that residents face restrictions under the pretext of “demographic change,” even as the same groups push investment projects and occupy administrative positions across the city.

A committee led by Council member Abdullah Al-Najifi drafted recommendations to address the problem, but council leaders repeatedly prevented a vote, arguing the proposals were either electoral propaganda or unworkable.

Insisting that sending citizens to the courts does not remove the Council’s responsibility, Al-Khabouri noted that fear of armed groups prevents some families from filing complaints. She plans to raise the matter in the Parliament and form a committee of Nineveh lawmakers to follow up, calling for the legal process to move forward and restore the families’ rights.

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