Iraq declares Level C Alert during two-day curfew for population census

Shafaq News/ On Monday, Iraq’s High-Security Committee for the Population Census announced a Level C Alert (Critical Alert) for security and military units during the curfew imposed for the census, scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday.

The committee stated, "The curfew will run from midnight on November 19-20 to midnight on November 21-22, covering the Kurdistan Region."

"During the curfew, movement of citizens, vehicles, and trains across provinces, districts, and rural areas will be restricted, except for humanitarian emergencies, critical needs, or security, natural, or climatic reasons,” it added.

The exceptions include “statistical offices in Baghdad and across all provinces, enumerators, subdistrict and village heads and their assistants, supervisors, monitors, authorized journalists and media personnel with badges from the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission, as well as health and medical staff on duty at hospitals during the two-day curfew,” the committee affirmed.

Census Background

Iraq last conducted a nationwide population census in 1987, followed by a 1997 count that excluded the Kurdistan Region. For years, the country has relied on estimates from unofficial research institutes and organizations. In 2022, the Planning Ministry estimated Iraq’s population to be over 42 million.

The census has faced repeated delays due to concerns over its politicization, particularly in disputed areas like Kirkuk. These regions are home to Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen and hold significant oil reserves. Ethnic groups fear that the census may reveal demographic shifts that could undermine their political ambitions.