Unrest towards tankers grows
Road blocked in Koy Sanjaq after fatal accident
KOY SANJAQ — Following a deadly traffic accident that killed four, residents of Koy Sanjaq east of Erbil blocked a road to oil tankers Tuesday evening. Protesters, reacting to the traffic burden from 1,000 daily tankers after the closure of the Smaquli route, lit fires along the road.
In a statement to 964media, local resident Hawzhin Mushir said the community has blocked the road to prevent tanker traffic through the city following a recent accident that resulted in four fatalities. “Since 2010, we’ve heard about the project to build a dual carriageway in Koy Sanjaq, but the foundation stone has not yet been laid,” Mushir stated.
Due to the closure of the Koy Sanjaq road, tanker traffic has been rerouted through the city, with over a thousand tankers passing daily. “The accident yesterday prompted us to completely cut off the road. These tankers passing through do not benefit our city in any way,” Mushir explained. She added that the community would set up protest tents and remain until morning, demanding that tankers no longer use this route.