Iraq to redeploy federal forces along border with Iran and Turkey

Baghdad said on Wednesday it planned to redeploy federal guards along its border with Iran and Turkey, after repeated bombardments from both neighbouring countries against opposition groups in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region.

The announcement appeared to respond in particular to Iran, which had publicly urged such a move.

Authorities have decided to “establish a plan to redeploy Iraqi border guards... along the border with Iran and Turkey”, a statement said, issued after a government security meeting overseen by

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al Sudani.

The initiative will be “in coordination with the government of the Kurdistan region and the peshmerga ministry”, the statement added, referring to the Kurdish regional forces whose chief was also present at the meeting.

Iraqi Kurdistan’s borders are currently guarded by the peshmerga, who however work in the area under the direction of the federal defence ministry in Baghdad.

Iran has blamed outside powers and exiled Kurdish groups for stoking a wave of protests sparked by the September 16 death of Mahsa Amini.

— AFP Kurdish fighters assess the destruction caused by a reported Iranian rocket attack near town city of Altun Kupri (Perdi), north of Kirkuk, in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, on Wednesday.