President Barzani commends Turkiye's land route support

Shafaq News

a day ago

Shafaq News/ On Monday, Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani thanked Turkiye for facilitating land access to Erbil.
Barzani met with Turkish Consul General Airman Topcu in Erbil, where both sides reviewed bilateral ties and regional developments, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
Barzani expressed appreciation for Turkiye's assistance in facilitating overland travel, following Ankara's continued suspension of flights to al-Sulaymaniyah, which was first imposed in April 2023 over alleged PKK activity at the airport.
The extended ban has affected economic and civilian mobility in the PUK-controlled province and drawn criticism from officials there, who argue the measure disproportionately targets the region.
Turkiye is the KRI's primary trade partner, with the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing near Zakho serving as a critical hub for commercial and civilian transit. While air traffic remains restricted to parts of the region, land routes through Erbil have helped mitigate the impact.
Barzani and Topcu also discussed strengthening cooperation in economic, political, and security domains, emphasizing the need for continued coordination to maintain border stability.