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Iraq sealing borders in preparation for elections
Iraq has barred non-Iraqi Arabs from entering the country as it beefs up security ahead of parliamentary elections in two weeks, a government official has said. No date for lifting the restrictions has been set, an official at Iraq's Interior Ministry said. ''This is part of security procedures for the elections and applies to all non-Iraqi Arabs,'' the official said.Iraq typically imposes strict security measures during major political events to thwart attacks from Sunni insurgents waging a bloody campaign to topple the Shi'ite and Kurdish-led government. For October's constitutional referendum, these included the closure of Iraq's international borders and overnight curfews. The latest decision, issued three days ago, appeared to apply to even those with valid visas to enter Iraq. In Amman, a hub for civilian flights into Iraq, several non- Iraqis were prevented from boarding a Royal Jordanian flight to Baghdad on Thursday, according to a Reuters correspondent at the scene. Royal Jordanian officials in Amman later said they were unaware of any instructions to deny boarding to non-Iraqi Arabs. Posted by: Dan Darling 2005-12-02 |
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