KRG, Baghdad agree to reopen the Erbil-Kirkuk road as soon as possible

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Erbil-Baghdad road, which has been closed since the events of October 16, will be reopened "as soon as possible", according to a statement by a delegation of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG ) who visited the Iraqi capital Sunday.

According to a reading of their meeting with Iraqi officials, the two sides agreed to reopen the road and build a temporary steel bridge over the Little Zab River. The first Pirde Bridge was destroyed during fighting between the Peshmerga and the Iraqi Army and the paramilitaries Hashd al-Shaabi Shiites on October 20

The bridge repair works will begin while the bridge will be closed. steel will offer a temporary solution.

The Kirkuk Road is an important road for trade and the movement of people.

As the road was closed, trucks, trailers and taxis took the alternative road along the Koya-Erbil road. Accidents have increased on this stretch of road that has never been built to cope with such traffic. The KRG agreed to badume responsibility for building the steel bridge

The KRG delegation included the representative of the region in Baghdad Farhad Nimatallah, the director of the Erbil police, a representative of the ministry Peshmerga and the Director General of Erbil Roads and the Bridges Commission. The Iraqi delegation consisted of Mohammed al-Shamari, representative of the Abadi bureau, and Rakkan al-Jabouri, acting governor of Kirkuk.