Thousands stranded on Turkey-Kurdish border, airfare doubles
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region--Hundreds of truck drivers have been stranded on both sides of the Turkish-Kurdistan Region border of Ibrahim Khalil for more than two weeks due to ongoing fighting in southeastern Turkey.
"We are unhappy with the closing of this border-crossing," said a driver from Turkey on the Kurdish side of the border. "Our thoughts are with our families, they are suffering too, our financial situation is getting worse and worse."
Ibrahim Khalil is Kurdistan Region's main border-crossing with Turkey through which billions of dollar's worth of trade is conducted annually.
But ongoing military confrontations between the Turkish army and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Diyarbakir and areas close to the border has the border authorities close the crossing.
It has affected the business of more than 10,000 truck drivers and passengers.
"This is all the money I have got," a truck driver complained, waving some banknotes. "With this amount I can't afford anything."
He said that Turks and Kurds on both sides were suffering equally and he urged his government to open the border.
"There are Kurds, Turks and Arabs, we are all brothers," he said. "We are all asking the Turkish government to consider that we are earning our bread through our job and now they cut it off."
The border closure has also doubled airfare between the two countries.
"Tickets are very expensive, because there are clashes in Bakur [Turkey Kurdistan] and the border is closed," Muhammad Mahmoud, a traveler told Rudaw at an airline ticket agency.
A two-way ticket between Erbil and Ankara has gone up from $400 to $900.
Muhammad Qadir, another traveler at Erbil's international bus station, said, "Ten days ago we bought tickets but because the border is blocked no vehicle can cross into Turkey."
Despite the rising prices ticket agencies report a surge in demand for flights.
"There is high demand on flight tickets," said Dilshad Ahmed, a ticket agent. "But the border is blocked and people are blaming us for increasing the ticket prices, but it is out of our power."
"When there is high demand for tickets, airline companies increase the price," he added.
"We are unhappy with the closing of this border-crossing," said a driver from Turkey on the Kurdish side of the border. "Our thoughts are with our families, they are suffering too, our financial situation is getting worse and worse."
Ibrahim Khalil is Kurdistan Region's main border-crossing with Turkey through which billions of dollar's worth of trade is conducted annually.
But ongoing military confrontations between the Turkish army and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Diyarbakir and areas close to the border has the border authorities close the crossing.
It has affected the business of more than 10,000 truck drivers and passengers.
"This is all the money I have got," a truck driver complained, waving some banknotes. "With this amount I can't afford anything."
He said that Turks and Kurds on both sides were suffering equally and he urged his government to open the border.
"There are Kurds, Turks and Arabs, we are all brothers," he said. "We are all asking the Turkish government to consider that we are earning our bread through our job and now they cut it off."
The border closure has also doubled airfare between the two countries.
"Tickets are very expensive, because there are clashes in Bakur [Turkey Kurdistan] and the border is closed," Muhammad Mahmoud, a traveler told Rudaw at an airline ticket agency.
A two-way ticket between Erbil and Ankara has gone up from $400 to $900.
Muhammad Qadir, another traveler at Erbil's international bus station, said, "Ten days ago we bought tickets but because the border is blocked no vehicle can cross into Turkey."
Despite the rising prices ticket agencies report a surge in demand for flights.
"There is high demand on flight tickets," said Dilshad Ahmed, a ticket agent. "But the border is blocked and people are blaming us for increasing the ticket prices, but it is out of our power."
"When there is high demand for tickets, airline companies increase the price," he added.