Iraq travel ban for US diplomats
The United States has suspended all land travel by US diplomats and other civilian officials throughout Iraq, except in Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone.
The suspension follows a weekend incident, in which several Iraqi civilians were killed, that involved private security guards protecting a diplomatic convoy.
In a notice sent to Americans in Iraq yesterday, the US Embassy in Baghdad said it had acted to review the security of its personnel and possible increased threats to those leaving the Green Zone while accompanied by security details.
“In light of a serious security incident involving a US embassy protective detail in the Mansour District of Baghdad, the embassy has suspended official US government civilian ground movements outside the International Zone (IZ) and throughout Iraq,” the notice said.
“This suspension is in effect in order to assess mission security and procedures, as well as a possible increased threat to personnel travelling with security details outside the International Zone,” said the notice.
The notice did not say when the suspension would expire.
The move came amid uncertainty over the status of the security contractor involved in Sunday’s incident, in which at least 11 people died, Blackwater USA. The company provides the bulk of security for US diplomats in Iraq.
Iraqi officials have said they revoked the operating licence of the firm, but both the company and the State Department say they have received no formal notice of revocation.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said yesterday that officials from the agency’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security are cooperating with Iraqi authorities in the investigation of the incident, which has fuelled popular Iraqi anger at private security firms often perceived as operating outside the law.
