Kurdistan Region of Iraq residence holders cross border at Semalka, northeast Syria

DERIK, Syria (North Press) – The Semalka border crossing with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRG), located in northeast Syria’s Derik, announced on Saturday that Iraqi residence holders who came to visit their relatives may cross back into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

“Holders of residence of the cities of Suleimaniya, Hewler (Erbil), and Duhok are allowed to cross into the Iraqi Kurdistan region,” Sherzad Osman, an official in Semalka, told North Press.

“100 Duhok residence holders are allowed to cross per day,” the official Facebook account posted. 

The decision also allows European residence holders who came to northeastern Syria to visit to cross, according to Osman.

Osman noted the passengers are allowed to take only two pieces of luggage and stressed on the necessity of the preventive measures of coronavirus and physical distancing.

On July 24, the Autonomous Administration announced the complete closure of all crossings and subjecting of any humanitarian situation entering regions of the Autonomous Administration to quarantine for 14 days.

“We tightened preventive measures on commercial movement at the crossing and imposed on drivers coming from the Iraqi Kurdistan region the wearing of masks and gloves, in addition to sterilizing all trucks entering,” Osman said in a previous statement to North Press. 

Reporting by Solnar Mohammad