So, it’s a “he said, she said” situation.
Although there are some who are happy with the reported changes at the border crossing, there are also some who are worried. Nevaf Kilic, the chairman of the Turkey-Iraq Industrialists and Businessmen Association, said the group's members don’t want developments at the border crossing to hamper trade between the two countries.
“Habur is a vital crossing. We are trying to increase trade between the countries. If the central government can ensure security, we want Turkish … vehicles to reach as far as Baghdad and Basra. Now because of ambiguity, some companies have ceased trading. We have to overcome that. Yes, the crossing was in the hands of the Kurdish authority for 26 years. A sudden change may cause short-term problems. Our vehicles travel from Sulaimaniyah to Baghdad, but we want immediate opening of the roads to Mosul and Kirkuk. The Turkish government is deeply concerned with our relations with Iraq,” Kilic told Al-Monitor.
Despite all the contradictory statements and speculations, it's still not clear who's in charge of the Ibrahim Khalil border gate. It looks as if the KRG will continue to manage the crossing quietly, and if it does hand over control, nobody will be told. There are people who today think Baghdad has already quietly taken over the crossing but is not talking about it loudly so as not to anger the Kurdish public.
(Picture Credit: Joaoleitao)
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