Shafaq News – Baghdad

Thousands of trees, plants, and public spaces across Iraq have been damaged by a wave of election advertisements ahead of the November 11 parliamentary polls.

The Green Iraq Observatory reported on Sunday that nearly 250,000 trees in 15 provinces were harmed as campaign posters and banners were nailed or tied to trunks and medians. Many trees were cut, drilled, or stripped of branches, while others collapsed under the weight of the materials.

In Baghdad, recently restored green corridors and irrigation systems were torn apart as campaign teams used cement and metal supports to secure banners. Decorative plants, turf, and even small fountains were destroyed. The observatory urged authorities to double penalties for violators and launch cleanup efforts once the campaign ends.

Read more: Beyond the banners: Iraqi election slogans mask a crisis of economic vision

Shafaq News previously documented similar scenes during past election cycles, when campaign materials choked drainage systems, increased plastic waste, and damaged newly planted trees in urban areas already hit by desertification and record heatwaves.