Security forces have intercepted two bombers this week.
Early in the week, a car packed with explosives and guns was stopped near the Asaish headquarters and three men arrested. This is where I went for my security check just a couple of weeks ago. However, they weren't very bright bombers and didn't do their home work as there is no vehicular access to the headquarters and you also go through a security check at each end of the street. Just what they intended to blow up is anyone's guess.
The second incident was much closer to home and this time the target was the city's only Shiite mosque which is just 400 metres down the road and which I walk pass all the time. Yesterday a man left a backpack with 10kg of explosive inside the mosque. However, as he tried to leave, other worshipers noticed the pack and alerted the guard who held the man until the Asaish could arrive. The only comment that the police have made was that the man spoke Farsi, which indicates he is likely to be Iranian AND Shiite.
There are several reasons that the Kurdish regions is very safe. One of the key factors is that Kurdish nationalism trumps everything, else so the threats are external rather than internal. The border between Arab Iraq and Kurdistan is heavily patrolled and beyond that there are numerous checkpoints on internal main roads. Moreover, local people are very alert to any possible trouble. The joke here is that all the 3000 taxi drivers work for the Asiash, but there is a lot of truth in that. You have much less trouble traveling by taxi as the security forces are well aware that taxi drivers will alert them to any dodgy passengers. The same goes for hotels, motels and other accommodation and locals will also alert the security forces to anything they think is unusual - a strange car parked too long or people behaving suspiciously.
Another factor is that the Asaish and security forces in general are very professional, well trained, experienced and fiercely protective of Kurdistan. These are not play soldiers.
Security of late is much more noticeable and it seems just as well.
Early in the week, a car packed with explosives and guns was stopped near the Asaish headquarters and three men arrested. This is where I went for my security check just a couple of weeks ago. However, they weren't very bright bombers and didn't do their home work as there is no vehicular access to the headquarters and you also go through a security check at each end of the street. Just what they intended to blow up is anyone's guess.
There are several reasons that the Kurdish regions is very safe. One of the key factors is that Kurdish nationalism trumps everything, else so the threats are external rather than internal. The border between Arab Iraq and Kurdistan is heavily patrolled and beyond that there are numerous checkpoints on internal main roads. Moreover, local people are very alert to any possible trouble. The joke here is that all the 3000 taxi drivers work for the Asiash, but there is a lot of truth in that. You have much less trouble traveling by taxi as the security forces are well aware that taxi drivers will alert them to any dodgy passengers. The same goes for hotels, motels and other accommodation and locals will also alert the security forces to anything they think is unusual - a strange car parked too long or people behaving suspiciously.
Another factor is that the Asaish and security forces in general are very professional, well trained, experienced and fiercely protective of Kurdistan. These are not play soldiers.
Security of late is much more noticeable and it seems just as well.
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