Iraq urgently needs to build at least 600,000 houses to tackle a widening supply shortage that has given rise to the construction of unauthorised units in various cities, the local press said on Sunday.

Unauthorised housing units have largely mushroomed over the past few years due to low supply and the damage of thousands of houses during the war, they said, quoting member of Parliament's services committee, Manar Abdul Muttaleb.

"Iraq urgently needs at least 600,000 new housing units to tackle supply shortages and the emergence of a large number of unauthorised units," she said, quoted by Aliqtisad News and other Iraqi publications.

She said unauthorised houses are putting pressure on urban projects and public services and that they need to be removed.

(Writing by Nadim Kawach; Editing by Anoop Menon)

(anoop.menon@refinitiv.com)

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