Truck drivers in Mosul hold a banner announcing a planned strike on Sept. 15 during a protest in the Qawsiyat area, Nineveh governorate. Photo by 964media.
Truck drivers in Mosul threaten strike over fees, permit denials
MOSUL — Truck drivers in Mosul said Saturday they will stage a strike on Sept. 15 to protest what they described as daily hardships at checkpoints, ports, and crossings, warning that they will continue until their demands are met.
During a gathering in the Qawsiyat area on the city’s left bank, drivers said they face unfair rules, fees, and restrictions that have left many unable to work.
Ziyad Maiser, a representative of Nineveh’s tanker drivers, told 964media, “We have a strike scheduled for Sept. 15. We previously met with the Council of Ministers, represented by Sami al-Sudani and a number of officials, and we presented our demands clearly, but without results.” He said a key issue is the system for security permits, which prevents thousands from working. “Permits are denied to anyone with a name similarity or a relative who is convicted or wanted, pushing many young people into unemployment,” he said.
Drivers also complained of mounting costs. Maiser cited fines of up to 550,000 dinars ($387) for delays and 5,000 dinars ($3.5) for certain stoppages. “This injustice falls on the driver alone,” he said.
Jirjis Abdul Razaq, another driver, said the Sadd checkpoint between Zakho and Mosul was a major source of trouble. “The checkpoint does not recognize our permits, forcing us to redo procedures and pay extra fees, causing delays that sometimes reach 72 hours,” he said. He added that new charges include a 200,000-dinar ($141) fee at one checkpoint and repeated cabin payments of 5,000 dinars in each governorate entered. “We demand unified procedures for cabins and scanners,” he said.
Abdul Qader Khalaf, head of refrigerated trucks in Mosul, said drivers are exhausted by unfulfilled promises. “We previously announced strikes on Jan. 1 and May 15, 2025, after the government promised to solve our problems, but nothing has been achieved,” he said. “Today we announce our strike again until our demands are met.”
He said drivers across Iraq share the same grievances, with “more than 60 to 70 demands related to border crossings, ports, and checkpoints, especially between the federal government and the region, where Iraqi drivers face injustice and extortion.”
Khalaf added that trucks carrying goods from Zakho continue to face long waits and “illegal fees” at the Sadd checkpoint.