BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Baghdad Provincial Council issued a warning Sept. 15 about street beggars being used by gangs to commit crimes and armed groups to carry out terrorist operations. The problem is not limited to Baghdad, and the council in Karbala announced Oct. 7 that it is coordinating with security agencies to get beggars off the holy city’s streets.

Begging has spread in the streets of Baghdad and the southern cities, particularly among teenagers of both genders. The phenomenon was first brought about by the wave of displacement that started when the Islamic State took control of Iraqi territories in June 2014, and worsened by the harsh economic situation in the country.

Security officials have warned about beggars being exploited for criminal objectives, including being used as a means of communication in certain areas, to plant explosives and to secure locations for terrorist operations.

Saad al-Matlabi, a member of the security committee in the Baghdad Provincial Council, told Al-Monitor about the serious security consequences of the growing problem of young beggars, saying, "They are the easiest age group to be attracted by extremist groups and turned into ticking time bombs."