TRAVEL ALERTS BEFORE YOU GO: Iraq IRAQ WEATHER CURRENCY
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6/13/2014 iJET : Trip Brief Iraq (Prepared on Jun 13, 2014 3:48:33 AM GMT) TRAVEL ALERTS KEY: CRITICAL WARNING INFORMATIONAL 06/12/2014 - UPDATE 4: ISIS seizes Dhuluiya, Iraq June 12; Kurds take control of Kirkuk. More militant attacks likely. Avoid Highways 1 and 2 north of Baghdad. 06/13/2014 - UPDATE 5: Kurds confront ISIS, IA launches airstrikes June 12. More militant attacks likely. Avoid Highways 1 and 2 north of Baghdad. 06/04/2014 - UPDATE 1: Flooding near Fallujah, Abu Ghraib, and Baghdad, Iraq recedes after dam reopened May 6. Further flooding possible. Review flooding contingency plans. 06/11/2014 - Armed opposition groups expand their ability to mount major attacks in central Iraq and some areas south of Baghdad. Limit unnecessary movement. 06/04/2014 - Hundreds of thousands of Shia' to converge on Karbala, Iraq, June 14 for birthday of 12th Imam. Violence possible; avoid Karbala through at least June 17. 06/05/2014 - Officials watchful for polio activity in Syria and surrounding countries. Ensure up-to-date polio vaccination status before travel. BEFORE YOU GO: Iraq See Detailed Report below for full information. O verview: Iraq Security Security Overview of Iraq Civil Unrest: Civil unrest in Iraq. Crime: Major crime issues in Iraq. Kidnapping/Hostage Situation: The kidnapping threat in Iraq. Property Security: Hotel security in Iraq. Security: Emergency numbers and embassy contacts in Iraq. Security Services: Security services in Iraq. Terrorism: The terrorist threat in Iraq. Health Health Planning: Health considerations when traveling in Iraq. Immunizations: Recommended immunizations for travel to Iraq. Medical Facilities/Services: Medical facilities in Iraq. Entry/Exit Entry Regulations and Enforcement.: Customs information for entry into Iraq. Exit Regulations and Enforcement.: Customs information for departure from Iraq. Transportation Air Travel: Air travel in Iraq. Transportation: Ground transportation options in Iraq. IRAQ WEATHER CURRENCY EXCHANGE Baghdad Airport: 1 Iraqi 1 US CURRENCY https://worldcue.ijet.com/tic/tripbrief/AtAGlanceTripBrief.action 1/21 6/13/2014 iJET : Trip Brief Jun 13 Jun 14 Jun 15 Jun 16 Jun 17 NAMES 1 Euro = Dinar = Dollar = Euro 1.0000 0.0006 0.7388 High: 102° F High: 103° F High: 108° F High: 109° F High: 111° F (38° C) (39° C) (42° C) (42° C) (43° C) Iraqi Dinar 1,595.4600 1.0000 1,178.6500 Low: 84° F Low: 81° F Low: 85° F Low: 87° F Low: 87° F US Dollar 1.3536 0.0009 1.0000 (28° C) (27° C) (29° C) (30° C) (30° C) https://worldcue.ijet.com/tic/tripbrief/AtAGlanceTripBrief.action 2/21 6/13/2014 iJET : Trip Brief DETAILED REPORT TRAVEL ALERTS KEY: CRITICAL WARNING INFORMATIONAL 06/12/2014 - UPDATE 4: ISIS seizes Dhuluiya, Iraq June 12; Kurds take control of Kirkuk. More militant attacks likely. Avoid Highways 1 and 2 north of Baghdad. Updated Information Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants continue to make territorial gains, seizing the town of Dhuluiya (map), 80 km (50 miles) north of Baghdad June 12. The group is also in control of Suleiman Bek, 160 km (100 miles) north of the Iraqi capital. ISIS still controls Tikrit, capital of Salah al-Din Province, but there are reports that Iraqi forces have launched air strikes to dislodge militants. In Samarra, Iraqi forces are reportedly in control of much of the city, but there are reports of sporadic clashes. In Baiji, which hosts large oil refineries, government forces are reportedly in control, but there are unconfirmed reports that ISIS militants have established positions outside the city. In Kirkuk, Kurdish Peshmerga forces are currently in control of key military installations in the city and patrolling the streets after Iraqi military units reportedly abandoned their posts. Meanwhile on the political front, the Iraqi parliament failed to reach a quorum and was unable to hold a vote to grant Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki emergency powers to impose curfews and restrict public movement. ISIS continues to hold all of Mosul, the capital of Ninawa Province, which it seized on June 10. By many accounts, some 500,000 people fled Mosul and the surrounding areas during the ISIS assault, many of whom have traveled into the regions controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Several new refugee camps are being set up there. Additional violence related to ISIS activity and government offensives to counter the group is highly likely in the coming days. Clashes are not expected in the Kurdistan Region; however, expect increased security in KRG-controlled areas, including the cities of Arbil and Sulaymaniyah. Security may be compromised south of Baghdad as security forces and volunteers head north to confront ISIS. Background and Analysis Parliament's inability to gather enough lawmakers to even hold a session underscores the disunity of the political landscape in the midst of a major ISIS offensive. It is unclear when parliament may try to reconvene to provide al-Maliki with emergency powers. Faced with numerous battleground defeats and reports of troop desertions, Iraqi security forces are calling for volunteers; Shia' militias are the most likely to respond to the call, increasing the sectarian nature of the conflict. ISIS still continues to style itself as an Islamic "state" and is attempting to control an area spanning the Syria-Iraq border, allowing it access to weapons and fighters from the Syrian conflict. It has held the Syrian city of Raqqa since 2013 and has established government institutions there. It has also maintained strongholds in parts of Fallujah and Ramadi in Anbar Province, Iraq, where the border with Syria is extremely porous. On June 10, in addition to attacking Mosul, ISIS escalated its offensive in Syria's Deir ez-Zour Governorate, located between Raqqa, Syria, and Iraq's Ninawa Province, moving it closer toward a contiguous area of control. ISIS control of such a broad region would almost certainly make Iraqi government efforts to counter the group substantially more difficult. Advice Avoid the area around Mosul, Tikrit, Samarra, Kirkuk, and Baiji. Consider avoiding Highway 1 from Baghdad to Mosul and Highway 2 from Kirkuk to Baghdad. If operating in the southern part of the Kurdistan Region, expect traffic disruptions as refugees arrive. Maintain a low profile; limit exposure to government buildings, security installations, and crowded public areas that could be potential bombing targets. Maintain contact with your diplomatic mission. For additional information on security conditions in the country, please see iJET's alert Security Situation - Iraq. 06/13/2014 - UPDATE 5: Kurds confront ISIS, IA launches airstrikes June 12. More militant attacks likely. Avoid Highways 1 and 2 north of Baghdad. Updated Information As of early June 13, rumors of an attack on Baghdad International Airport (BGW) were circulating. iJET will provide updated information if https://worldcue.ijet.com/tic/tripbrief/AtAGlanceTripBrief.action 3/21 6/13/2014 iJET : Trip Brief the attack is confirmed. Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) militants continued to make territorial gains, seizing the town of Dhuluiya, 80 km (50 miles) north of Baghdad (map), and temporarily taking the town of Jalula in Diyala Province June 12. Kurdish Peshmerga forces clashed with ISIS to try to dislodge them from Jalula and ISIS has reengaged the Peshmerga in Kirkuk. The Kurdish Minister of Peshmerga survived a bombing targeting his convoy in that city. The Iraqi Air Force launched airstrikes in Tikrit and Mosul in an effort to dislodge insurgents from those cities. Additional aerial attacks on ISIS positions are likely. Unconfirmed but widely circulated reports have stated that Iran has deployed three battalions of elite Quds Forces troops to help Iraqi forces retake Tikrit and to protect Baghdad and the Shia' holy cities of Karbala and Najaf. ISIS is also in control of Suleiman Bek, 160 km (100 miles) north of the Iraqi capital. Iraqi forces are reportedly in control of much of Samarra, but clashes are continuing. Government forces are reportedly in control of the city of Baiji and its refinery - the largest in Iraq; however, unconfirmed information indicates that ISIS militants have established positions outside the city in Salah ad Din Province. Meanwhile, on the political front, the Iraqi parliament failed to reach a quorum and was unable to hold a vote to grant Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki emergency powers. Maliki's party announced late June 12 that he would try to gain those powers through the judiciary. ISIS continues to hold all of Mosul, the capital of Ninawa Province, which it seized on June 10. Around 500,000 people are reported to have fled Mosul and the surrounding areas during the ISIS assault, many of whom have moved into areas controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Ongoing clashes between ISIS and the Peshmerga increase the probability of ISIS carrying out bombings in the Kurdistan Region (KR); however, ISIS is unlikely to risk directly engaging the Peshmerga on their home territory. Violence is possible on the Arab side of the border near the KR. Expect increased security in KRG-controlled areas, including the cities of Arbil and Sulaymaniyah. Additional violence related to ISIS activity and government offensives to counter the group is highly likely in the coming days. Security may be compromised south of Baghdad as security forces and volunteers head north to confront ISIS. Background and Analysis Parliament's inability to gather enough lawmakers to even hold a session underscores the disunity of the political landscape in the midst of a major ISIS offensive. It is unclear when parliament may try to reconvene to provide al-Maliki with emergency powers. Faced with numerous battleground defeats and reports of troop desertions, Iraqi security forces are calling for volunteers; Shia' militias are the most likely to respond, increasing the sectarian nature of the conflict.