SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s decision to close the unofficial border crossings in the country does not affect those in the Kurdistan Region since there is no unofficial crossings in the Region, a Kurdish official said on Tuesday.
General Director of Customs in the Kurdistan Region Samal Abdulrahman said Kadhimi’s decision would only affect the unofficial border crossings which are under the control of the federal government.
“There is no unofficial border crossings in the Kurdistan Region,” Abdulrahman told Esta Media Network.
He further said the Kurdistan Region has nine border crossings, four of which are international. The other crossings are non-international.
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has recognized the five crossings but the federal government has yet to do so despite sending teams to investigate and check on them.
The Iraqi premier ordered on Monday the Iraqi joint operations command to close unofficial border crossings in the country, according to state media INA.
“Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi ordered the joint operations to close unofficial [border] crossings to halt smuggling and harming the national economy, and to protect local product,” Kadhimi was quoted as saying in a meeting held with institutions which are not attached to the ministries and commissions.
