US Consulate in Erbil issues advisory as protests expected

ERBIL — The U.S. Consulate General in Erbil said it is monitoring calls for demonstrations across Erbil and other parts of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on Tuesday, Jan. 20, and urged U.S. citizens to avoid protests and large gatherings.

In a security advisory, the U.S. Mission said it continues to advise American citizens to “monitor local media for updates and to avoid protests and large gatherings,” warning that demonstrations can “develop quickly without prior notice,” disrupt traffic and services, and “can sometimes turn violent.”

The advisory reiterated that the U.S. State Department’s Travel Advisory for Iraq remains at “Level 4: Do Not Travel,” citing “terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and Mission Iraq’s limited capacity to provide support to U.S. citizens.” The mission advised U.S. nationals to “keep a low profile,” exercise caution if near large gatherings, and stay informed through local media.

The advisory comes after large demonstrations swept the Kurdistan Region late Monday and into Tuesday, with crowds gathering in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok and Halabja governorates in support of Kurds in northeastern Syria, known as Rojava, following renewed fighting there after the collapse of a ceasefire. In Erbil, protesters assembled for hours outside the U.S. Consulate on the Erbil–Pirmam road, calling on Washington to intervene and protect Kurdish civilians.

U.S. authorities provided contact information for consular assistance through the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and the U.S. Consulate General in Erbil, and encouraged citizens to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive security updates.