Livestock at a market in Sulaymaniyah ahead of Eid al-Adha, where local officials reported a 50% drop in animal sacrifices this year, citing financial strain from delayed public sector salaries. Photo by 964media
Eid sacrifices fall by half at slaughterhouses in Sulaymaniyah, Halabja
SULAYMANIYAH — The number of animals slaughtered for Eid al-Adha in Sulaymaniyah and Halabja has dropped by 50% compared to last year, a decline local officials attribute to delayed public sector salary payments in the Kurdistan Region.
“On the first day of Eid this year, nearly 400 animals were slaughtered at our facility, of which 350 were small livestock,” said Mohammed Muheddin, director of operations at the Sulaymaniyah municipal slaughterhouse. “The slaughter rate at our facility has dropped to half.”
Halabja reported a similar trend. “As of 8 p.m., 82 animals were slaughtered at official slaughterhouses across Halabja, which marks a 50% decrease compared to the same day last year,” said Delnia Farouq, head of veterinary services in the governorate.
The sharp drop comes amid a salary crisis affecting more than 1.2 million public sector workers across the Kurdistan Region. As of the second day of Eid, most employees had yet to receive their May wages, forcing many to forgo ritual sacrifices that mark one of the holiest days in the Islamic calendar.
Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to obey God’s command. The holiday is traditionally marked by the slaughter of livestock such as sheep, goats, or cattle, with meat shared among family, neighbors and those in need. But prices have become increasingly unaffordable for many in the region: a single goat costs around 350,000 Iraqi dinars ($246), while sheep range between 450,000 and 650,000 dinars ($317–$458).
This year’s Eid coincides with deepening economic hardship, as tensions between Erbil and Baghdad over budget transfers remain unresolved. Last month, Iraq’s Finance Ministry halted salary payments to the Kurdistan Regional Government, citing missing revenue data and claims of overspending. The KRG has rejected the accusations, calling the move “unconstitutional” and “a collective punishment of the Kurdistan Region’s residents.”
The federal parliament’s leadership also urged Baghdad to reverse the decision, warning of a wider economic crisis. According to 2024 census data, around one in five people in the Kurdistan Region is employed in the public sector, with wider knock-on effects for local markets and holiday spending.
Farouq noted that some sacrifices may have taken place outside official facilities and are not reflected in veterinary department figures. “The statistics are official and only reflect activity at the [official] slaughterhouses in Halabja,” she said. “Some people might carry out slaughter elsewhere without following our guidelines, but any sacrifice we are not informed about is not included.”
She added that the trend may differ from previous years. “Last year saw a higher turnout on the first day of Eid, with a noticeable drop on the second day,” she said. “This year, the number on the first day was already much lower than last year, but it’s possible that the second day might see higher numbers.”