ERBIL — The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Health announced that the number of people diagnosed with cancer in the Kurdistan Region has exceeded 9,000, with the majority of cases found in the Erbil Governorate.

Over the past four years, statistics have shown a marked increase. In 2019, the region had 6,934 individuals living with cancer. By 2022, this figure rose to 9,061, and in 2023, it reached 9,911—an increase of nearly 3,000 cases in four years.

Erbil Governorate is overrepresented in the figures, with 5,456 diagnosed individuals, making up over half of the region’s total cancer patients.

Furthermore, the data indicates that women are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer, representing 56.2% of cases.

The largest demographic among cancer patients in the Kurdistan Region is between the ages of 51 and 60.

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BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Federal Integrity Commission on Tuesday revealed that a court has sentenced the former director general of the General Company for Railways to five years in prison for illicit enrichment and unlawful accumulation of wealth.

In a statement, the commission said the Central Anti-Corruption Criminal Court also ordered the former official to repay 10.91 billion Iraqi dinars (approximately $7.38 million) in illegal gains and imposed a fine of equal value.

The conviction follows an Aug. 2, 2024, operation in which Integrity Commission teams arrested the defendant and three of his brothers under a warrant issued by the court. Authorities seized more than $2 million in cash, along with real estate deeds, checks, receipts, and other financial documents during the raid.

The court found the evidence sufficient to prove that the defendant’s assets grew unlawfully while he held public office. The ruling was based on Article 19, paragraph 2, in reference to Articles 16 and 19, paragraph 4, of the amended Law No. 30 of 2011 on the Integrity and Illicit Gain Commission, and Article 132(3) of the Penal Code.

In addition to the prison sentence and fines, the court ordered the confiscation of six properties in Baghdad valued at 3.62 billion dinars (about $2.45 million), the seizure of 3.4 billion dinars (about $2.3 million) in cash, and two vehicles worth 92 million dinars (about $62,000). The assets will be held by the Integrity Commission in accordance with Iraqi law.