Basra: Within three hours, Basra police cracked down on organized begging in Al-Ashar market. Basra police launched an urgent security campaign to combat begging in the Al-Ashar market.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Basra Governorate Police Command stated in a press release that following appeals from citizens and shop owners, patrols and emergency police units conducted a campaign to combat begging in the Al-Ashar market. The campaign, which lasted three hours, resulted in the arrest of a large number of beggars, who were then referred to the relevant authorities.

The statement further emphasized that the campaign targets a phenomenon that has escalated beyond individual begging to an organized activity. This may be orchestrated by entities exploiting children and pushing them onto the streets. Shop owners in the Al-Ashar area issued an urgent appeal to the local government and security leaders, demanding an end to organized begging. They stated that this has become a heavy burden on the economic and social fabric of the area, with beggars being part of organized networks brought in from outside the governorate.