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Hirran Valley closed to heavy vehicles

Amid local complaints

Hirran Valley closed to heavy vehicles

SHAQLAWA — Authorities in Shaqlawa have begun enforcing restrictions on the movement of heavy vehicles, including trucks and tankers, within the city limits and the nearby Hirran area, aiming to improve traffic flow and safety.

Officials have barred these vehicles from crossing through the city, a policy that took effect at the Maweran Tunnel. Police and traffic control units are now redirecting trucks and tankers at the tunnel’s entrance, guiding them towards the Mamajalak route. From there, vehicles are rerouted towards Raperin, Koya, and Sulaymaniyah.

In the Hirran sub-district, near Gardjassan village close to Gerote, checkpoints have been established to divert traffic towards Aspindare village along the Mamajalak route, preventing passage through Hirran.

Efforts by 964media to reach Karwan Karimkhan, the District Administrator of Shaqlawa, for comment were not successful.

The new traffic regulations come as a response to the deteriorating condition of the Mamajalak-Hirran road, plagued by potholes, trenches, and uneven surfaces after enduring the daily strain of heavy vehicle traffic. This wear has led to frequent road accidents.

To prevent further damage and reduce traffic incidents, the Hirran Valley route has been closed to heavy vehicles.

Clash over drug trafficking leaves three injured in Kirkuk

Including officer

Clash over drug trafficking leaves three injured in Kirkuk

KIRKUK — A clash between Iraq’s National Security forces and suspected drug traffickers erupted Wednesday evening in Kirkuk’s Shoraw neighborhood near the Grand Mosque. The confrontation left three people injured, including a security officer.

A source from Rahimawa Police Station told 964media that the incident occurred during a security operation targeting a vehicle suspected of drug trafficking. “Two drug traffickers were apprehended with injuries, and a National Security member was also wounded,” the source said.

The confrontation highlights Iraq’s escalating drug crisis, which has prompted intensified government crackdowns. By November 2024, nearly 8,000 people had been arrested on drug-related charges since the start of the year, with authorities confiscating approximately 2.2 tons of narcotics. The Ministry of Interior reported 140 death sentences and 500 life sentences issued for drug-related crimes by August.

Regional cooperation efforts have also ramped up. In late July, the Second Baghdad International Conference on Combating Drugs brought together officials from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt to discuss strategies for tackling drug trafficking.

Iraq has seen a surge in drug-related offenses in recent years. In 2023 alone, more than 19,000 suspects were arrested, over 15 tons of psychotropic substances were seized, and at least 17 suspects were killed in clashes with security forces, according to the Ministry of Interior.