NASIRIYAH, Iraq — The abduction of 26 Qatari hunters, including members of the ruling family, by a Shiite armed group — which demanded a $1 million ransom for their release, according to the London-based Asharq al-Awsat daily — in the desert of Iraq's southern Muthanna province on Dec. 16, 2015, is still being handled by politicians and the media.

Sunni parties, including Mohammed Karbouli, a member of the National Security and Defense Commission in the Iraqi parliament, told Russia Today on Jan. 15 that militias, which he did not name, abducted the hunters for political purposes.

The abduction has shed light on the Iraqi desert and wilderness, which is a popular refuge that not only attracts many types of birds but also hunters. Hunting has turned from a hobby into a career path that generates money for hunters and merchants alike; the trapped birds are sold in local markets or smuggled to Arab Gulf countries.

Many parts of Iraq are known for their biodiversity, and especially falcons are popular prey for Iraqi hunters and those from the Gulf states. The latter are continuing to make hunting trips to Iraq despite the deteriorating security situation in regard to the presence of the Islamic State in Mosul and parts of Salahuddin province, and other armed groups. It seems that their lust for adventure and money is greater than their fear.