Jurf al-Sakhar:Baghdad Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has ordered an investigation into suspected fuel smuggling activities in Jurf al-Sakhar, a region in central Babil province known for the significant influence of armed factions.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, a committee has been tasked with examining the allegations and is expected to report its findings promptly. This directive follows reports from local media citing a 19-page Iraqi intelligence assessment that outlined suspected fuel smuggling activities dating back to 2021.

The assessment, as reported by Shafaq News, suggests that pipelines were tapped, and tanker trucks and storage facilities were employed to transport fuel, implicating armed factions in these operations. The investigation relies on satellite imagery, geospatial analysis, and the tracking of tanker movements between 2021 and 2026.

Babil Governor Ali Turki al-Jamali, after visiting the area with journalists, dismissed the allegations on Tuesday. He clarified that the site mentioned in the reports was an old fuel station used to supply government-affiliated Popular Mobilization Forces and federal police vehicles. Al-Jamali asserted that the tankers present were not involved in smuggling activities, describing the allegations as part of a campaign against security forces in the area.

Since the recapture of Jurf al-Sakhar from the ISIS (Daesh) terrorist group in 2014, the area has remained under strict security measures, with many residents still unable to return following their displacement during the conflict.