Shafaq News- Saladin

The Al-Bu Ajil Corniche project east of Tikrit poses no threat to the nearby archaeological mound of Tell Hatra, Muhannad Mahjoub Turki of Iraqi Saladin's Antiquities and Heritage Department told Shafaq News on Monday.

Turki stated claims circulating on social media that construction activities were taking place within an archaeological area along the project's route were “inaccurate” and intended to create false narratives about the project and its impact on the province's archaeological heritage.

The corniche project is located about five kilometers from Tell Hatra, he clarified, adding that the Antiquities and Heritage Department continuously monitors development projects across the province to ensure they do not conflict with archaeological and heritage sites.

Sensitivity has heightened in recent years over the protection of Iraq's archaeological heritage, particularly in Saladin, which is home to major historical sites including the UNESCO-listed Samarra Archaeological City and the ancient Assyrian capital of Ashur. In April, antiquities authorities in the province also rejected reports of violations at archaeological sites near Samarra and said no licensed projects were responsible for the alleged damage.

Iraq as a whole possesses one of the world's richest archaeological landscapes. Iraq's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities reported in 2024 that the country contains around 18,000 archaeological sites, while Mohammad Ouda Al-Obaidi, head of the Iraqi Tourist Guides Syndicate, told Shafaq News that more than 150,000 sites are officially registered nationwide.

Read more: 150,000 archaeological sites, 556 tourists: Iraq's oil economy explains the gap