Security
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior announced significant security achievements, including a remarkable decrease in crime rates, the dismantling of international criminal networks, and broad successes in public security and border management. These details were revealed during a press conference by Major General Miqdad Miri, Head of the Ministry's Relations and Media Department. Major General Miri clarified a dramatic 86% decrease in fire incidents compared to last year, indicating improved prevention and response. He also affirmed a 99% success rate in dismantling international networks and cross-border crime gangs, with 10 specialized cross-border operations executed within the country's regional perimeter. Combating major crimes, Miri highlighted a notable decline: murder rates decreased by 13%, kidnapping by 44%, and rape by 13%. Other crimes like forgery, prostitution, and theft were also detected, achieving an overall 71% success rate in dismantling criminal cases. He further reported that 12 provinces – Najaf Al-Ashraf, Muthanna, Karbala Al-Muqaddasa, Diyala, Diwaniyah, Nineveh, Salah al-Din, Kirkuk, Babylon, Anbar, Dhi Qar, and Wasit – are entirely free of "tribal dispute" phenomena (0% rate), marking a significant security and social achievement. For border security, Major General Miri detailed that Ministry security units erected a 16-kilometer concrete wall near the Syrian border. The inflatable barrier was extended by 24 kilometers to the zero line, and 465 kilometers of inflatable barriers were installed across various sectors, significantly enhancing national border protection. He also shed light on efforts to detect organized cross-border crimes, where the Ministry achieved a proactive detection rate of 99%. He added that 900 cases affecting the national economy were resolved and uncovered through the Organized Crime Directorate, and no instances of encroachment or smuggling of oil derivatives were recorded. The Ministry also uncovered and resolved 297 industrial fraud operations, 276 cases related to expired goods, 84 currency counterfeiting cases, 142 unlicensed medicine cases, and 47 human trafficking cases, achieving an 88% detection rate across all these issues. In the realm of combating cybercrime, 1,822 electronic crimes, including extortion, defamation, financial fraud, and rumor-mongering, were addressed, with the identities of 926 suspects in these crimes being uncovered. It was also noted that the networking and automation of police stations and anti-crime offices in Baghdad and the provinces have been completed, with the number of automated police centers and departments reaching 1,341 across all regions of the country, marking a 98% completion rate. In the traffic sector, the Ministry contracted for 100 mobile radars for traffic operations, 60 of which were received within the 100-day period and entered service across various parts of the country. 135,000 driving licenses were issued and renewed, while traffic violations recorded during the same period amounted to 304,000, with most violations related to seatbelt usage and running red lights. Concerning the regulation of residency and entry affairs, 14,000 individuals violating residency conditions were deported, and 30,000 persons who did not meet entry requirements were denied access to the country. On the internal reform and anti-corruption front, within the 100-day period, the Ministry issued termination penalties against 9 officers for administrative and financial corruption, and judicial dismissal penalties from the Internal Security Forces courts against 122 personnel. Immediate dismissal from service was also ordered for 29 officers and 58 personnel who were judicially convicted, and 3,245 personnel who had deserted service were terminated, underscoring the Ministry's commitment to enhancing integrity and discipline within its ranks.
