Shafaq News – Muthanna

Security forces arrested four Kuwaiti nationals and an Iraqi in Iraq's Muthanna desert for illegal hunting and violating entry regulations, the Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday.

In a statement, the ministry said the Kuwaitis had entered Iraq on tourist visas, while the Iraqi accompanied them as their guide. Authorities seized five falcons and two vehicles with Kuwaiti license plates during the operation.

The Interior Ministry stressed that Iraqi law applies equally to all visitors, cautioning that unauthorized hunting and entry violations will not be tolerated and that all activities within Iraq must adhere to legal procedures and official permits.

Illegal hunting and wildlife trafficking—especially of high-value birds like falcons—have drawn growing concern, with environmental experts warning of the trade’s ecological damage and rising black-market profits. Earlier this month, the killing of a falcon worth over one million dollars in Iraqi Kurdistan triggered an official investigation into cross-border smuggling and wildlife crime.