Iraqi army, Shiite checkpoints illegally charge tolls to Kurdish truck drivers

Trucks in Iraqi Kurdistan. Photo: NRT TV

HEWLÊR-Erbil, Iraq’s Kurdistan region,— Kurdish truck drivers transferring food and equipment from Iraq’s Kurdistan Region to Baghdad and Iraq’s southern provinces, are being illegally charged a toll by the Iraqi army and Hashid al-Shaabi to pass through checkpoints, Kurdish truck drivers have told NRT.

The truck drivers say they are being made to pay a toll of 100,000 Iraqi dinars ($84) by Hashid al-Shaabi and 25,000 to 50,000 Iraqi dinars by the Iraqi army when they arrive at the checkpoints in Sleman Bag and Safra plain, and that the toll only applies to Kurds.

According to the drivers, they are not allowed to pass if they don’t pay the money.

“We have been working this way, we go there [Baghdad and Iraq’s southern provinces]. They ask for 100,000. We want a solution to this,” a truck driver told NRT on Sunday. “This is not Ibrahim Khalil [Turkey border crossing] or Bashmakh [Iran border crossing], it’s not crossing borders to enter another country. This thing is not loyal at all.”

“We are silo drivers. We go to Baghdad. In the checkpoint behind Kifri Retail, they say if we don’t pay 100,000, we won’t be allowed to pass. They have turned us back several times. A friend of mine was punched with a pipe. They say Kurds aren’t allowed to cross unless they pay,” another truck driver told NRT.

The truck drivers pay taxes at the border crossings into the country for their work but despite this the Iraqi army and Hashid al-Shaabi checkpoints – that are internal – are forcing them to pay tolls.

According to the law, nobody should be charged to pass through checkpoints, except border crossings where taxes are collected and customs protocol is in place.

The Kirkuk-Baghdad main road connects the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad. It is the only way for the drivers to head between the region and Baghdad. The road passes by Tuz Khurmatu district. Many trucks and cars go to Baghdad and other provinces of southern Iraq through the road every day.

Tuz Khurmatu mayor, Shalal Abdul, told NRT that the checkpoints are not under the control of the town’s administration.

“We don’t know on what law they are doing this,” the mayor added.” But that is not in our border and it won’t be allowed in our border. I think the Iraqi government and Diyala governorate need to control this.”