Iraq's first sandstorm of the year blankets Baghdad

A sandstorm enveloped central Iraq, including Baghdad, on Friday, the first such weather event to hit the arid country this year.

In 2022, Iraq experienced more than a dozen sandstorms, an unprecedented number that was attributed to desertification.

Iraqis who ventured outside on Friday afternoon were greeted with the increasingly familiar ochre sky and unbreathable air typical of sandstorms, with AFP journalists reporting greatly reduced visibility and a film of dust covering cars and houses.

Driven by westerly winds, the storm moved from Al-Anbar province before reaching Baghdad and Salaheddin province by late Friday.

Local authorities were unable to provide figures on the number of people so far requiring medical treatment for respiratory problems related to the storm.

Orders were issued for "health facilities to be on alert", Health Minister Saleh Al Hasnawi said in a statement.

Transport ministry spokesman Maythem Al Safi told AFP that flights into and out of Iraq "are continuing normally".