BAGHDAD/SIRNAK
Around 1,000 Turkish nationals restrained by Iraqi security forces earlier while on their way to Saudi Arabia for work are being taken to the Turkish border.
The Turks were restrained in Babil city, some 70 kilometers south of Baghdad, and in Saladin city, some 230 kilometers north of Baghdad.
Iraqi security forces are escorting the Turks as they are being taken to the Turkish border.
Speaking to the Anadolu Agency (AA), one of the Turkish workers, Ergun Tanriverdi underlined that they entered Iraq after receiving a visa at the Ibrahim Khalil border crossing point under the control of the regional administration in the north of Iraq.
"Our group was stopped by Iraqi forces at a point 70 kilometers south of Baghdad. The Iraqi officials told us we could not enter Saudi Arabia by a 'transit pass'. The Iraqis told us that they would have to send us back to Turkey. We are now getting close to the Turkish border. We are around 1,000 Turks. We are now about to reach Mosul city," Tanriverdi stated.
In a statement made on Thursday, one of the senior Iraqi police officers in Saladin city had said that the Saladin Police stopped 14 buses carrying 90 Turks early in the day as they did not get their visas from the central Iraqi government and that the Turks were kept in a safe place until further directives from Iraqi authorities.
Earlier on Thursday, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said that around 1,200 Turks were restrained. The Iraqi central government consider invalid the visas issued by the regional administration in north of Iraq for transit passes.
Dozens of prospective Turkish pilgrims wait in Silopi due to visa crisis with Iraq
Moreover, dozens of prospective Turkish pilgrims are waiting in Silopi town of the south-eastern province of Sirnak after a visa crisis erupted with Iraq.
The prospective pilgrims are spending night in mosques or empty locations and are waiting for assistance from authorities in order to enter Iraq via the Habur Border Gate.
Hasan Eken, the Regional Customs and Trade Manager of the Silk Road, said that a crisis erupted when the central Iraqi government did not issue visas.
"I have been informed that all prospective pilgrims who enter Iraq would be sent back to Turkey," Eken stressed.
"We are waiting for the final result," Eken noted.
One of the prospective pilgrims, Mahmut Kural said that they have been in a difficult position for the past three days.
"We are trying to meet our needs here," Kural noted.
Another prospective pilgrim, Ahmet Alagoz said that they had been waiting in Silopi for the past three days.
"We can not enter Iraq due to the visa crisis. We are in a difficult situation. We eat dinner in the garden of mosques and spend the nights at the mosques. We are waiting for officials to help us," Alagoz also said.
