Erbil-Kirkuk road: Work begins in Pirde on temporary steel bridge
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Construction work began Thursday on a steel bridge and joint checkpoints on the road between Erbil and Kirkuk, which is due to reopen before the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha on August 22.
“After an agreement was reached on August 8 on reopening the road between Erbil and Kirkuk, steps to reopen the road will be taken from today,” Farhad Niamatullah, the Kurdistan Region’s representative to Baghdad, told Rudaw.
“Today, the KRG will begin to install a steel bridge in Pirde,” he added.
The bridge over the Little Zab River in Pirde was destroyed in fighting between the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces during the October 16 events, when Baghdad took over the disputed territories. The steel bridge, paid for by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), is a temporary fix while the original is rebuilt.
Work on a joint checkpoint near Pirde also began on Thursday, Niamatullah said.
Fazil Haji, spokesperson for the Erbil traffic authority, said the equipment for the bridge installation set off on Thursday.
Bridge parts will be transported to the site by early next week, he added.
It emerged on Wednesday that Baghdad may only reopen the Erbil-Kirkuk road if the KRG allows Iraq to establish a customs border – with all revenues going to Baghdad. Kurdish officials say the move is illegal.
“After an agreement was reached on August 8 on reopening the road between Erbil and Kirkuk, steps to reopen the road will be taken from today,” Farhad Niamatullah, the Kurdistan Region’s representative to Baghdad, told Rudaw.
“Today, the KRG will begin to install a steel bridge in Pirde,” he added.
The bridge over the Little Zab River in Pirde was destroyed in fighting between the Peshmerga and Iraqi forces during the October 16 events, when Baghdad took over the disputed territories. The steel bridge, paid for by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), is a temporary fix while the original is rebuilt.
Work on a joint checkpoint near Pirde also began on Thursday, Niamatullah said.
Fazil Haji, spokesperson for the Erbil traffic authority, said the equipment for the bridge installation set off on Thursday.
Bridge parts will be transported to the site by early next week, he added.
It emerged on Wednesday that Baghdad may only reopen the Erbil-Kirkuk road if the KRG allows Iraq to establish a customs border – with all revenues going to Baghdad. Kurdish officials say the move is illegal.