Kurdish authorities in Iraq lift lockdown following protests

Jun 2, 2020

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq is ending its reimposed lockdown after just one day following protests.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) instituted a lockdown Monday that was to last until Saturday. The measures only allowed for essential movement and for essential businesses such as supermarkets to stay open.

The new lockdown coincided with an uptick in virus cases. On May 29-May 30, registered cases in the autonomous part of northern Iraq went up by more than 100. The situation is particularly bad in Sulaimaniyah province, according to KRG statistics.

However, the KRG announced today that it would lift the measures Wednesday. Businesses such as restaurants, gyms and hotels will be allowed to reopen with health guidelines in place — such as the mandatory use of face masks, the Kurdish outlet Rudaw reported.

The restrictions left many people unable to work in the Kurdistan Region and protests began Monday and continued today over the lack of work and poor economic conditions under the lockdown. The pro-Kurdish opposition outlet NRT reported protests in Sulaimaniyah, Erbil and smaller towns.