Baghdad: The General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers announced the suspension of official working hours on Monday, March 16, 2026. This decision applies to all ministries, non-ministerial entities, and governorates, marking the anniversary of the crimes committed by Saddam Hussein's Ba'athist regime against the Iraqi people.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the suspension is in remembrance of the tragic events such as the Halabja massacre, the Anfal campaign, mass graves, the Sha'ban uprising, the assassination of scholars, and the targeting of political parties. The Secretariat's statement highlighted that this decision is grounded in Article (1/First/L) of the Official Holidays Law No. (12 of 2024).