• According to reports, protests were ongoing outside the Ministry of Finance office in Baghdad’s Bab al-Moatham district as of the late morning hours (local time) of August 18.
• Farmers were reportedly staging the protests to demand payment of overdue financial benefits.
• Footage from the demonstration showed police forces in riot gear deployed outside the Ministry building.
• Concurrently, a large-scale demonstration is reportedly ongoing in southern Iraq’s Basra, outside the Basra Province Governance Hall, as of the late morning hours of August 18. Unconfirmed reports indicate a turnout of approximately 13,000 people.
• The protest is reportedly being held to call for the payment of contract workers’ salaries, following 12 months of work without payment.
• There are no reports of security forces being deployed to the protest site as of the time of writing.

Those operating or residing in Baghdad and Basra over the coming hours on August 18 are advised to avoid nonessential travel to the vicinity of the Ministry of Finance and Basra Province Governance Hall due to the ongoing protest and heightened risk of unrest.