Turkey on Friday advised its citizens to avoid nonessential travel to Iraq as the country faces spillover risks from the growing conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The Turkish Embassy in Baghdad said in a statement that Turkish citizens should refrain from traveling to Iraq during this period unless they have a compelling reason.
The embassy also urged Turkish nationals already in Iraq to stay away from crowded public squares, gathering points near Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone and the international airports in Baghdad and Erbil. It further warned against travel to residential areas in and around Mosul, zones near Basra and critical infrastructure sites such as military facilities and oil fields across the country.
The advisory comes as Iraq faces growing security risks tied to the regional conflict. The Green Zone in Baghdad and the city of Erbil in northern Iraq have in the past come under attack from Iran-backed armed groups targeting US-linked sites. Iran has also previously struck bases in Iraq belonging to Iranian Kurdish groups living in exile there.
Despite the warning, the embassy said the road connection between Turkey and Iraq remains open.
© Agence France-Presse