Census countdown, Kurdistan enacts curfew with limited exceptions
Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Director General of the Ministryof Interior’s Chief of Staff in the Kurdistan Region, Hayman Mirani confirmed thatmeasures have been taken to enforce a curfew across the Kurdistan Region duringthe population census, with exceptions taken into consideration.
In a press conference attended by Shafaq News, Miranistated, "Today, we held a meeting to discuss the procedures for ensuringthe success of the population census in Iraq," demanding citizens to remainin their homes during the census days and for residents of disputed areas to bepresent in their original regions.
"Independent administrations have been grantedauthority to enforce the curfew. Exceptions have been made for journalists, whowill be allowed to move and cover the census, as well as for bakeries,airports, healthcare facilities, border crossings, and UN agencies," hecontinued.
Mirani clarified that "the curfew applies to Iraqisonly, not foreigners," noting that "movement for foreigners will berestricted."
Today marked the beginning of the first stage of thepopulation census in al-Sulaymaniyah. This stage in the province remains for 3 daysand includes collecting personal information for each family, including thenumber of members, their ages, and basic data.
The census, scheduled for November 20-21, marks Iraq's firstnationwide count since 1997. It aims to provide a comprehensive populationassessment, including data from the Kurdistan Region and disputed regions. In2022, Iraq's Ministry of Planning estimated the country’s population at over 42million.
