Makhmour residents protest against Iraqi Army checkpoint

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Makhmour residents held a protest on Tuesday against the Iraqi Army checkpoint on the main Makhmour-Erbil road blocking the movement of goods and food from Erbil to their district. 

“It has been eight days since the Iraqi army checkpoint started to prevent us from transporting our goods and food materials from Erbil to Makhmour,” a protestor told a Kurdistan 24 correspondent. “We demand the checkpoint to stop this behavior and let our goods through.” 

Iraqi soldiers told the residents that they only allow Iraqi goods to pass through. 

“The checkpoint authority told us that they only allow Iraqi goods and food materials through the checkpoint,” the protester said. “There are no Iraqi-made goods or food materials!”

“We call on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to intervene on this issue because what is happening is another Arabization process against us.” 

Another protester on the site also told Kurdistan 24 that the checkpoint discriminates between the Arab and Kurdish residents of Makhmour. 

Kurdistan 24 correspondent Shayma Bayiz reported that the protesters blocked the main street between Makhmour and Erbil and set it on fire.

“The protestors call on the Iraqi government to stop the checkpoint from causing problems to the residents of Makhmour district,” she said.