Iraqi protesters in Diyala threaten officials over power cuts

Shafaq News / Protesters in Al-Khalis, northern Diyala, threaten to block an international road and oust officials over ongoing electricity issues.

Ammar Al-Salami, a religious figure and protest organizer, warned in a statement that "they will protest and block the Baghdad-Kirkuk road if the electricity problem, particularly in Al-Khalis, isn't fixed soon ."

He added, "This is a clear condemnation. The current situation is an insult to the city of Al-Khalis and its sacrifices, which led to these officials assuming their positions." He warned that "if the worsening electricity crisis isn't resolved, we will organize a large-scale demonstration where heads will roll ."

Al-Salami emphasized that the residents demand the cancellation of the intermittent power cuts, an increase in electricity allocation from 100 to 130 megawatts, oversight of electricity distribution station staff responsible for unjustified power interruptions, and improvement of service quality.

Notably, Iraq's current electricity generation capacity ranges from 19,000 to 21,000 megawatts, yet the country's demand exceeds 30,000 megawatts.

Iraq relies on Iran for nearly a third of its electricity, though this has been subject to interruptions. For instance, when Tehran reduced gas supplies to Iraq from 50 million cubic feet to 8.5 million cubic feet because of "unpaid bills," widespread electricity shortages struck central and southern governorates. Therefore, Baghdad has sought to diversify its electricity supply through overtures to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Jordan, and Kuwait.