Kirkuk: Against the backdrop of events in Syria, heightened security measures have been implemented at the northern entrances to Kirkuk. The commander of Kirkuk Operations, Lieutenant General Saleh Haraz, announced the implementation of strict security measures, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, at checkpoints bordering the Kurdistan Region, north of Kirkuk. He emphasized that these measures include thorough checks of the identities of individuals and goods entering from the region.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Haraz stated, “The rapid pace of events and the sudden changes in Syria, particularly in areas bordering the Kurdistan Region, coupled with the anticipated influx of displaced persons into the region and the potential escape of ISIS terrorists from detention centers in al-Shaddadi and al-Hol within Syrian territory, have prompted security forces to tighten procedures.”