Turkey fills dam, Iraq fears shortages

ISTANBUL: Turkey has started filling a huge hydroelectric dam on the Tigris River, a lawmaker and activists said, despite protests that it would displace thousands of people and risks creating water shortages downstream in Iraq.

Citing satellite images, they said that water was building up behind the Ilisu dam, a project that has been decades in the making and which aims to generate 1200 megawatts of electricity for southeast Turkey.

Turkish officials have not commented on work at the dam. Turkey’s State Hydraulic Works, which oversees dam projects.

The Presidency and the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry was not available for comment. | Reuters ANA