Nineveh truck drivers launch open-ended strike

MOSUL — Truck drivers in Nineveh announced an open-ended strike on Saturday, saying they will halt work until what they described as basic problems at checkpoints and customs routes are resolved.

Drivers said their demands include unifying customs fees between the Aloka checkpoint in Duhok governorate, which lies within the Kurdistan Region, and the Mosul Dam checkpoint. They also demand the creation of separate lanes for local and imported goods, and restricting food items such as fruits and cheese to refrigerated trucks.

They also called for unifying weighing stations and limiting weighing to a single check valid for 24 hours, instead of paying 5,000 dinars ($3.42) at each checkpoint. Drivers said the main problem is the route itself, which they described as narrow and inadequate, in addition to what they called neglect by staff at border points and checkpoints.

They complained of poor treatment by employees and said checkpoints are sometimes closed and reopened outside legally designated hours.

Drivers said a previous meeting with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Nineveh Gov. Abdul Qader al-Dakhil, held after a strike on Sept. 15, 2025, failed to produce results. They said the proposed solutions “were on paper only” and were not implemented on the ground.

Al-Sudani previously held a meeting with the head of the truck drivers’ union and a number of drivers to discuss proposals submitted by the customs reform team, following two days of nationwide strikes. He later issued a statement outlining nine measures related to customs crossings, external checkpoints, weighing stations and inspection procedures.

The strike follows earlier warnings by drivers in Mosul, who said they face excessive fees, repeated fines and long delays at checkpoints, particularly at the Sadd checkpoint between Zakho and Mosul. On Sept. 13, 2025, representatives said fines could reach 550,000 dinars ($376.70) and delays could last up to 72 hours, while permits were sometimes not recognized.

A day later, Nineveh Gov. Abdul Qader al-Dakhil visited the Sadd customs checkpoint and warned against abusive practices. “Any individuals engaged in such practices will be referred to investigative councils, whoever they may be,” he said, while pledging monitoring measures and coordination with relevant authorities to ease truck movement.