Farmers in Karbala say wild boars are destroying crops, forcing them off the land

KARBALA — Farmers in the Alwand area, north of Karbala, say unchecked wild boar populations are devastating their lands and pushing them out of agriculture, with no meaningful government intervention despite years of appeals.

The animals, which locals say were never seen in the region prior to 2014, reportedly migrated to Alwand after security operations in Jurf al-Sakhar displaced them. Since then, farmers say the boars have torn up orchards, uprooted crops, and turned irrigated farmland into barren soil.

“I’ve been suffering from boar attacks on my land since 2014,” said Saif Mohammed Rokan, a farmer in the area. “After the events in Jurf al-Sakhar, they started appearing in Alwand, where we had never seen them before. Most of the trees died, and the orchards became wastelands.”

Rokan said the animals dig through the soil after irrigation in search of worms, destroying entire plots in the process. “We’ve tried basic control methods like hunting or using electricity, but the results are very limited. Some methods are even dangerous to humans,” he said.

Another farmer, Yahya Jassim, said the issue has gone unaddressed by authorities. “Despite repeated appeals, there’s been no response,” he told 964media. “Most farmers have abandoned their lands because of this issue. We need real intervention from the relevant authorities.”

Trapping and electric fencing, he added, have proved largely ineffective.

Jawad Kadhim Mohammed, a member of the Union of Agricultural Associations, said the boars are concentrated on the western side of the Alwand River and have particularly affected vegetable crops and young fruit trees.

“Five years ago, the governor of Karbala ordered excavators to clear irrigation channels, which temporarily reduced the number of boars, but the problem was never solved,” Mohammed said.

He added that civilians are not permitted to carry weapons, limiting their ability to defend their land. “We asked the security forces to intervene using weapons or thermal cameras, but nothing happened,” he said. “We are now calling for either allowing citizens to hunt the boars or for the authorities to eliminate them using firearms, drones, or veterinary teams.”