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New Menace: Deadly ‘Daesh Spiders’ Threaten Iraq

© Flickr / Bill BumgarnerBlack Widow spider
Black Widow spider - Sputnik International
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The people of Iraq may be facing a poisonous new threat as Black Widow spiders were spotted in one of the country’s regions.

Smoke rises in the distance behind an Islamic State (IS) group flag and banner - Sputnik International
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Black spiders with characteristic red markings on their abdomens are apparently spreading in the vicinity of the "Al Habbaniyah" US military base in western Iraq. This development has outraged the residents of Anbar province where a bloody conflict between government forces and Daesh militants is currently being waged.

A resident of the Al Habbaniyah district of the Anbar province provided Sputnik with the following video footage.

The man featured in this video, an Iraqi farmer named Abu Osman, says: “I confirm that American Black Widow spider was found in Al Habbaniyah region. I demand that the local government get rid of these spiders that invade our homes in this region, and prevent them from spreading.”

He also pointed out that many local residents don’t know how dangerous these spiders are and urged the authorities to raise awareness among the populace regarding this new threat.

An official representative of Iraq’s Health Ministry told Sputnik however that so far no cases of people being bitten by this type of spider have been reported in Anbar province or in any other region of the country. He also added that the rumors about the spiders are mostly being spread via social media.

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