Iraq will close all airports and borders during election

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Supreme Security Committee for Elections in Iraq announced on Wednesday that all of Iraq’s airports and border crossings will be closed for three days during the October 10 parliamentary elections. 

“All Iraq’s airports, border gates will be closed for three days, starting October 9 until the morning of October 11,” Brigadier Ghaleb al-Attiyah, the committee’s spokesperson, told the Iraqi News Agency. 

In addition to these closures, al-Attiyah also said that the movement of vehicles between Iraqi provinces will also be limited and the use of motorbikes inside the cities will be prohibited. 

“The movement of vehicles inside the cities will be allowed during those three days to facilitate the movement of the voters between their homes and the polling centers,” he said. “Special procedures have also been taken to help the disabled people vote.” 

Al-Attiyah said that the security committee is prepared for election day and emphasized that it has reviewed all possible security challenges it might face. 

At least 24 million Iraqis are eligible to vote in these elections. Under the country’s new election law, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are divided into 83 election constituencies. Previously the number was 18. A total of 3,244 candidates, including 980 female candidates, are competing for the 329 seats in Iraq’s parliament. Under a new quota, 25 percent of these seats must be allocated to female candidates.