KRG refuses to hand over border gates to Baghdad

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has refused to hand over its land border gates to the authorities of the Iraqi federal government, a source from the Kurdish government told Rudaw on Friday on condition of anonymity.

The Iraqi government had asked the Kurdish government to hand over its land and air borders as part of a series of measures taken by Baghdad against the Kurdish referendum that was held on Monday and resulted in an overwhelming support for independence with more than 92 percent.

A flight ban on international flights to and from the Kurdistan Region will take effect on Friday but domestics flights as well as military will not be affected, both Iraqi and Kurdish officials have said.