Informant38

The main Iraqi Shia opposition group, which is based in Iran, did not believe that to be the case on this occasion.
But it pointed out that the fires would not have been possible had the Baghdad government not dried out much of the marshes of south east Iraq by huge drainage schemes in recent years.
The marshes were a globally important wetland, sustaining a huge volume of wildlife, especially birds, as well as a unique way of life for the marsh dwelling people.
The United Nations environment programme has said that about 90% of the marshes have been destroyed, describing it as an environmental catastrophe and a major loss to all humanity.
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Wilfred Thesiger The Marsh Arabs