An Iraqi government committee began a rare field assessment in Jurf al-Sakhr on Tuesday. The committee will review security, agricultural, and social conditions before presenting findings to Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. Officials established the committee to examine longstanding issues affecting the strategically located area. The team expects to complete its assessment and submit recommendations within ten days.
Prime Minister al-Zaidi formed the committee with representatives from several government and security institutions. Members include officials from the Interior, Agriculture, and Justice ministries, alongside the PMF Commission. Intelligence and counterterrorism agencies also joined the delegation during Tuesday’s field visit. Furthermore, representatives from Babil’s provincial administration participated in the assessment and local discussions.
During the visit, committee members toured several villages across the area to evaluate current conditions. The delegation visited al-Saadan, al-Fadhiliyah, al-Jair, and al-Uwaisat, among other locations. Officials reviewed security conditions while also listening to concerns raised by residents and agricultural workers. Consequently, the visit provided government representatives with direct information from communities living around the area.
Several residents asked officials to consider allowing displaced families to return to their homes. Some families left the area after authorities linked relatives to terrorism-related cases. However, officials emphasized that courts alone can determine whether those families may legally return. Individuals facing outstanding arrest warrants would therefore remain subject to existing judicial procedures.
Meanwhile, farmers raised separate concerns about agricultural land agreements that have expired. They asked authorities to renew those contracts under Iraq’s Agrarian Reform Law No. 17. Agricultural activity remains important because the area contains extensive farmland, orchards, waterways, and drainage networks. Therefore, resolving land-related disputes could form another significant part of the committee’s recommendations.
Jurf al-Sakhr, officially renamed Jurf al-Nasr after Iraqi forces retook it from ISIS, holds strategic importance. The area lies roughly 60 kilometers southwest of Baghdad in northern Babil province. Moreover, its location connects routes between Baghdad and several major cities across central and western Iraq. Those routes include connections toward Babil, Karbala, Najaf, and al-Anbar.
The area’s geography has historically complicated security operations and military movements. Farmland, orchards, waterways, and drainage canals provide numerous areas that authorities must monitor. Additionally, ISIS and Iraqi forces fought major battles there before government forces recaptured the territory. Consequently, security concerns continue influencing discussions about the area’s future and displaced residents.
More than ten years after the recapture, many residents still have not returned home. At the same time, PMF factions continue maintaining a significant presence across parts of the territory. Over the years, various reports have also alleged the existence of weapons storage and military facilities. Some claims have additionally linked the area to missile and drone-related production activities.
However, authorities have not independently established the full extent of those alleged activities. Nevertheless, such reports have contributed to continued political sensitivity surrounding Jurf al-Sakhr. Security concerns also remain central because unexploded ordnance and mines reportedly remain across parts of the area. Therefore, local officials face challenges when considering any large-scale return of displaced communities.
Political and community figures opposing unrestricted returns continue citing security as their primary concern. They point to the area’s history as a militant stronghold and the potential risks from unexploded explosives. At the same time, residents and farmers continue seeking clearer government decisions regarding their homes and livelihoods. The new assessment could therefore provide a basis for future decisions concerning Jurf al-Sakhr.
The committee’s visit marks an unusual direct government presence in an area surrounded by longstanding controversy. Jurf al-Sakhr remains closely connected to Iraq’s security, agricultural, displacement, and governance challenges. Accordingly, its findings could influence discussions about residents’ returns and future administrative arrangements. The committee must now complete its review before presenting recommendations to the prime minister.
