Mosul fuel lines vanish before PM Al-Zaidi’s visit
Shafaq News- Nineveh
Long lines at fuel stations in Mosul disappeared ahead of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit, drawing surprise and ridicule on social media after more than a month of shortages that disrupted daily life across the city.
Videos shared by drivers and social media users showed motorists filling their tanks without waiting, raising questions about how queues that had persisted for weeks could disappear just hours before the prime minister’s arrival.
Informed sources in Nineveh told Shafaq News that the province’s petroleum products distribution branch had advance notice of al-Zaidi’s visit and began preparations two days earlier. The measures included opening four major fuel stations and operating them around the clock, with two on Mosul’s right bank and two on its left.
The steps quickly eased congestion, clearing the queues before the prime minister’s plane landed, the sources added.
The improvement came after weeks of severe fuel shortages, despite an electronic coupon system and fuel cards intended to regulate distribution. Under the system, private vehicles were allocated 40 liters every three days, while taxis and other public transport vehicles were eligible for fuel every two days.
The shortages also fueled allegations of fuel smuggling and inadequate supplies. Nineveh Governor Abdul Qader al-Dakhil repeatedly pledged to hold those responsible for alleged irregularities accountable and sought an increase in the province’s fuel allocation from the Oil Ministry.
The ministry has previously attributed the shortages to delayed gasoline shipments caused by regional tensions that disrupted tanker movements, widening the gap between domestic production and consumption. Official data puts daily demand at about 33 million liters, rising to as much as 38 million during peak periods.
Read more: Fuel shortages keep Iraqi motorists in long lines
