Iraqi security takes down protest signs from striking Baghdad markets

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi security forces on Sunday removed protest banners from closed shops in central Baghdad as authorities sought to regulate a trader strike over higher customs tariffs.

A police source told Shafaq News that the banners were removed because they were displayed without authorization from Baghdad Operations Command in the Al-Rusafa district, the capital’s main commercial hub, which hosts some of Iraq’s largest wholesale and retail markets that participated in the strikes.

Protests and market shutdowns began in Baghdad and spread to several central and southern provinces, with traders opposing new tariff rates they say have raised import costs, disrupted supply chains, and driven up consumer prices. The increases were introduced under Cabinet Decision No. 957 of 2025 as part of government efforts to “boost non-oil revenues.”

Amid the unrest, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court has set February 11 to rule on a legal challenge against the tariff hike, lawmaker Mohammed Al-Khafaji told Shafaq News earlier today.

Read more: Explainer: Iraq’s updated customs tariffs, legal dispute, and market impact