ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Kurdistan Region’s Ibrahim Khalil border-crossing announced Tuesday the suspension of commercial and tourist traffic between Turkey and the Kurdistan Region due to technical issues at the Passport Control department of the Turkish side of Habour border-crossing until further notice.

 

“The head of the Ibrahim Khalil crossing visited Habur crossing," regarding the issue, the statement read, adding there is “ongoing coordination” between both sides of the border to “resolve the issue as soon as possible.|"

 

Crossing into Turkey by land is possible through Duhok province’s Ibrahim Khalil and Erbil’s Set border crossing.

  

Turkey is one of the key destinations for Iraqi and Kurdish tourists. Each year, tens of thousands of Iraqis visit the neighboring country for tourism.

 

The Kurdistan Region and Turkey enjoy strong economic relations with trade volume said to be over five billion dollars between Erbil and Ankara every year.

 

International flights are available on a daily basis between the Turkish cities and Erbil. Turkey, however, has imposed a flight ban to and from Sulaimani international airport since April 2023.