US raises security alert ahead of Kurdistan protests
Shafaq News– Erbil
The US Consulate General in Erbil on Tuesday urged American citizens to avoid protests and large gatherings in the Kurdistan Region after calls for demonstrations circulated in Erbil and other areas.
In a security alert, the consulate said demonstrations can develop rapidly without prior notice, disrupt traffic and public services, and at times turn violent, urging US nationals to monitor local media and steer clear of protest sites.
The US State Department, meanwhile, continues to classify Iraq under a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory, citing terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, and civil unrest, as well as "limited capacity" to assist citizens in emergencies.
Earlier, marches in Erbil, Al-Sulaymaniyah, and other parts of the Kurdistan Region condemned violence in Syria’s Aleppo and expressed solidarity with Kurds there, after now-calming clashes between Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) left more than 10 civilians dead and around 100 others wounded, according to local media.
Local authorities have not announced whether permits have been issued for protests expected today.
Read more: Syria’s calm: An end to threat or a start of a complex security phase for Iraq?
