Sema
Kurdistan Region Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed on Thursday described the rise of narcotics use in the Region as a “frightening” threat on par with terrorism, as top officials launched a nationwide campaign to combat drug abuse and trafficking.
Speaking at the opening of the initiative titled “Together Toward a Strong and Healthy Society”, supervised by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and launched by the Barzani Charity Foundation (BCF), Ahmed said drug trafficking and addiction had become a national security issue.
“This is a historical issue faced across the world, but its threat to national security today is no less severe than terrorism,” he said. “Our fight is not only against terrorists—it is also a war against the devastation caused by drugs.”
Citing data from the United Nations and the World Health Organization, Ahmed said the global drug crisis is worsening, particularly among youth and vulnerable communities. “This crisis is growing at an alarming rate. It is also a massive source of revenue for criminal networks, which further deepens the threat,” he added.
The minister said Kurdistan’s location—bordering narcotics-producing countries—has turned the Region into a transit point for trafficking networks. He warned that continued political and economic instability across Iraq has compounded the crisis.
In response, the Kurdistan Regional Government has adopted a strategic plan involving security coordination, public awareness, and cooperation with Baghdad and international partners. “The threat is transnational, and so must be the response,” Ahmed said.
First Rehab Center to Open in Erbil
In a separate statement during the same event, Barzani Charity Foundation President Musa Ahmed announced the formal launch of the campaign and the construction of the Region’s first rehabilitation center for drug users, in coordination with LDS Charities.
“With the support of relevant ministries, professional organizations, investors, and the public, we are laying a solid foundation to confront the dangers of narcotics,” he said.
He described the campaign as “a historic day” in the foundation’s humanitarian work and said it followed months of planning and consultation. “In 2025, there should be no school, place of worship, or household in Kurdistan where awareness of narcotics risks is absent,” he stated.
The new rehab center in Erbil, which broke ground in November 2024, will be followed by similar facilities in other provinces. The campaign also includes plans for legal reforms, educational outreach, and long-term reintegration services for recovering users.
Senior cabinet officials, including the ministers of education and health, attended Thursday’s launch, signaling a unified governmental front in tackling what leaders now call one of Kurdistan’s most pressing threats.