Most of the soldiers deployed in the dozens of checkpoints in Baghdad’s neighborhoods, crossroads, main roads and bystreets are not satisfied with their often unfruitful presence in the streets, or with the attitudes of the citizens who are displeased with the traffic jams caused by the checkpoints, where no actual checking takes place.

Security sources told Al-Monitor, “There are around 250 fixed checkpoints in Baghdad and a similar number of smaller or mobile ones. This number reaches around 1,000 checkpoints during major security crises or religious occasions.” Meanwhile, other provinces have fewer checkpoints, and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region has almost none.

A lieutenant at a checkpoint in Baghdad spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, saying, “We know that we are facing a lot of criticism in the streets, and we are aware that many people see no point in our presence there, especially with the resulting delay and nuisance.”

The young officer, who makes no effort to hide the signs of fatigue on his face, added, “We are discussing the situation almost daily, and prominent leaders often visit us. We give them our remarks, especially regarding the bomb detectors, which we were laboriously trained to use for years. Later, we discovered that they were ineffective.”