• A rare bird fetches 16 million dinars (around $12.3K) at an annual event in southern Iraq
• Wide regional participation

The Safwan border district, west of Basra province in southern Iraq, held its annual "Qallab" pigeon auction this year, recording a notable sale when one bird went for 16 million Iraqi dinars (about $12.3K), attracting a large turnout of breeders and enthusiasts.

Local media outlets and Iraqi platforms shared videos and photos capturing the auction atmosphere, which annually draws participants from inside Iraq and abroad, including breeders from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, and other countries, competing for prized lineages.

One participant noted that paying 16 million dinars for a pigeon is a worthwhile investment, pointing out that selling its offspring later could yield returns far exceeding the initial purchase price.