Baghdad residents face breathing discomfort as sulfur-like odor returns

Shafaq News- Baghdad

A sulfur-like odor swept across Baghdad before dawn on Friday, reviving concerns over a recurring air-quality disturbance in the Iraqi capital.

Speaking with Shafaq News, several residents reported mild breathing discomfort, while authorities recorded no serious suffocation cases.

By the end of 2025, Iraq had become the second most polluted country in the world, grappling with water contamination, chronic waste accumulation, and deteriorating air quality. Baghdad, two years ago, posted an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 113, placing it in the “unhealthy” range for extended periods, while cities such as Karbala, Al-Anbar, and Diyala appeared on global lists of heavily polluted urban areas.

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