ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Traffic at Kurdistan Region’s Ibrahim Khalil border crossing with Turkey has increased by around 30 percent, authorities said on Sunday, as thousands of travelers turn to overland routes following more than a month of suspended flights across the region.
According to data provided by border authorities, daily crossings have risen from between 7,000 and 9,000 travelers to more than 11,000, making the crossing the primary exit point for those seeking to return to their home countries.
The surge comes after the closure of regional airspace and the halt of flights at airports in Erbil and Baghdad, forcing travelers to rely on land routes. The ongoing US-Israel war against Iran has also disrupted flights in the region.
Omar Shams and Muadh Ashour, two tourists from the United Arab Emirates, said they had spent over a month traveling across the Kurdistan Region and other parts of Iraq before their plans were disrupted by the suspension of flights.
“I came from the UAE and we are heading to Turkey. God willing, we will arrive there,” Shams said.