Shafaq News – Al-Anbar

A poisonous plant known as “Datura” has spread across large areas of al-Habbaniyah district in Iraq’s al-Anbar province, sparking alarm among residents after reports of its appearance in orchards, farmland, and along public roads.

Al-Anbar’s Environment Directorate confirmed the plant’s presence after receiving multiple complaints from locals. “Field teams verified the growth of Datura in several locations,” said Qais Najeḥ, head of the directorate, adding that a coordinated campaign has begun to uproot and burn the toxic plants in cooperation with local authorities and security forces.

“Datura poses a serious risk to public health,” Najeḥ said. “Our teams are removing it daily to prevent further spread, but public awareness and immediate reporting from residents are equally vital.”

Environmental expert Mohammed al-Kubaisi told Shafaq News that the plant, which thrives in moist and neglected soils, contains alkaloids that cause hallucinations, neurological poisoning, or even death if ingested. “The danger lies in ignorance — some mistake it for a decorative or medicinal herb,” he said.

Al-Kubaisi emphasized that Datura should only be destroyed under supervision. “It must be uprooted completely and burned in designated sites, not thrown away, as its seeds can spread again through air or water.”

The plant has been detected in several parts of al-Anbar — including al-Baghdadi, Ramadi, and Haditha. Environmental sources suggest climate shifts and poor land management have created favorable conditions for invasive species, though some local observers suspect human involvement in its spread.