Kurdish Forces Block Main Roads Connecting Erbil, Dahuk and Mosul
Category: Transportation
Severity: 3 (Moderate)
Source: Drum Cussac
10/12/2017 (Iraq) - Media sources report that Kurdish forces have blocked two main roads connecting Erbil and Dohuk to Mosul on Thursday, 12 October. The roads have been closed as a precautionary measure after Iraqi government forces launched operations against an Islamic State (IS) stronghold in Rashad, a village some 65 km (40 miles) south of Kirkuk. Kurdish authorities have stated that precautions were put in place as Iraqi government troops and the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella group of militias who are aligned to the Iraqi government, were possibly preparing to launch an assault on the autonomous region and from the southwest of Kirkuk and north of Mosul.
Travellers should monitor local media sources for further updates on the operation and to remain apprised of any associated security directives. Although IS has lost much of the territory it controlled in northern Iraq, the group continues to carry out attacks on security forces in the region. IS militants have also left thousands of improvised explosive devices behind when leaving territory they previously held and have been known to booby-trap buildings. Travellers should be aware that even areas behind the frontlines in the region remain an extreme risk environment as attacks, IEDs, and unexploded ordnance continue to pose a significant threat. Travel north of Baghdad should be coordinated with security forces following a localised threat assessment and undertaken with strict security risk management measures in place, including the use of armed security escorts.
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