In view of the current situation, the Federal Foreign Office continues to call for immediate departure from the following parts of Iraq:
Ninewa Province (provincial capital Mosul) Province Anbar (provincial capital Ramadi) Province Salah Al-Din (provincial capital Tikrit) Province Ta’mim (provincial capital Kirkuk)
Temporary departure is also strongly recommended for the greater Baghdad area and the north of the province of Babel.
Although the terrorist organization IS was recently pushed back, it still controls parts of the provinces of Ninewa, Salah Al-Din and Anbar. Serious attacks and open armed conflicts between IS allies and the Iraqi security forces, regional Kurdish Peshmerga, militias and also US air strikes must be expected there. Since the beginning of August 2014, the greater Mosul area has been particularly affected. Fighting between terrorist groups and Kurdish Peshmerga regularly occurs in Ta’mim Province.
Note for the Kurdistan-Iraq region: Due to the continuing risk of terrorist attacks, unnecessary trips to the region are not recommended.
Country-specific safety information
According to youremailverifier, warnings are given against traveling to Iraq. This also applies, with restrictions, to the Kurdistan-Iraq region (provinces of Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah / Halabja).
Traveling to the provinces of Ninewa (Mosul, border with Syria), Anbar, Salah Al-Din and Ta’mim, to the greater Baghdad and to the north of the province of Babel are particularly dangerous.
In the parts of the provinces of Ninewa and Salah Al-Din controlled by the IS terrorist organization, serious attacks and open armed conflicts must continue to be expected. This hazard situation also applies to Anbar Province and Ta’mim Province. In the capital Baghdad, too, heavy attacks, particularly on Iraqi security institutions and their relatives, on ministries, hotels, public spaces and religious institutions, are to be expected. Individual sections of the capital Baghdad are particularly secured by Iraqi security forces, including the so-called International Zone (formerly Green Zone) and Baghdad International AirportBut attacks cannot be ruled out there either. There is a high risk of kidnappings, also for foreigners and those accompanying them.
Any trip that goes against this travel warning should be based on a sound professional safety concept. Elements of a professional security concept can include, in particular, the use of specially protected vehicles, the deployment of an appropriate number of security guards as well as expert advice from security personnel after preliminary clarification and planning of the routes.
For such trips to Iraq, it is recommended to contact the Foreign Office or the German Embassy in Baghdad or the German Consulate General in Erbil immediately before departure and to enter the planned travel dates in the German list (external link, opens again Fensterhttp: //elefand.diplo.de).
The Kurdistan-Iraq region (provinces of Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah / Halabja) is currently not directly affected by the fighting in the western and southern neighboring provinces, but the security situation is still tense here due to the proximity to the IS-controlled area. Due to the continuing increased risk of terrorist attacks, unnecessary trips to the region are not recommended.
Stays in this region can only be considered after carefully examining the current local security situation and taking the necessary security measures. As a rule, the local host or relevant authorities and companies can provide practical advice on the type and scope of such security measures.
If you cross the border illegally between the Kurdistan-Iraq region and the neighboring states, particularly Syria, long prison sentences can be expected in the Kurdistan-Iraq region. High fines are levied for exceeding the permitted length of stay in the Kurdistan-Iraq region.
The German diplomatic missions abroad can currently only provide consular assistance to an extremely limited extent. The state security organs cannot guarantee adequate protection or provide assistance in individual cases.
The security situation across Iraq remains volatile. The number of terrorist attacks, especially in northern and central Iraq, has long been very high. In autumn 2016 there was another increase. Anyone staying in Iraq should follow media reports carefully and take all necessary precautions to be able to leave the country at short notice if necessary. International flight connections are currently guaranteed. It is essential to avoid crowds in the whole country.
The embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Baghdad is generally only open to the public by appointment. The embassy is not in the international zone. Due to the security situation and the limited opportunities for movement and communication, it is difficult and possibly impossible to provide consular assistance.
The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Erbil can only provide limited consular assistance. Appointments are also only kept by appointment.
The embassies of the Federal Republic of Germany in the neighboring states of Iraq can only provide consular assistance to Germans who find themselves in an emergency in Iraq from the respective border crossing.
Mosul dam
The measures necessary to maintain the structural stability of the Mosul Dam have only been insufficiently implemented in recent years. They were resumed in 2016; reliable forecasts about the stability of the dam cannot be made. A fracture or its damage, with potential flooding along the further course of the Tigris, cannot be ruled out.
Travel warning
Warnings are given against traveling to Iraq. This also applies, with restrictions, to the Kurdistan-Iraq region (provinces of Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah / Halabja).
Traveling to the provinces of Ninewa (Mosul, border with Syria), Anbar, Salah Al-Din and Ta’mim, to the greater Baghdad and to the north of the province of Babel are particularly dangerous.
In the parts of the provinces of Ninewa and Salah Al-Din controlled by the IS terrorist organization, serious attacks and open armed conflicts must continue to be expected. This hazard situation also applies to Anbar Province and Ta’mim Province. In the capital Baghdad, too, heavy attacks, particularly on Iraqi security institutions and their relatives, on ministries, hotels, public spaces and religious institutions, are to be expected. Individual sections of the capital Baghdad are particularly secured by Iraqi security forces, including the so-called International Zone (formerly Green Zone) and Baghdad International AirportBut attacks cannot be ruled out there either. There is a high risk of kidnappings, also for foreigners and those accompanying them.
Any trip that goes against this travel warning should be based on a sound professional safety concept. Elements of a professional security concept can include, in particular, the use of specially protected vehicles, the deployment of an appropriate number of security guards as well as expert advice from security personnel after preliminary clarification and planning of the routes.
For such trips to Iraq, it is recommended to contact the Foreign Office or the German Embassy in Baghdad or the German Consulate General in Erbil immediately before departure and to enter the planned travel dates in the German list (external link, opens again Fensterhttp: //elefand.diplo.de).
The Kurdistan-Iraq region (provinces of Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah / Halabja) is currently not directly affected by the fighting in the western and southern neighboring provinces, but the security situation is still tense here due to the proximity to the IS-controlled area. Due to the continuing increased risk of terrorist attacks, unnecessary trips to the region are not recommended.
Stays in this region can only be considered after carefully examining the current local security situation and taking the necessary security measures. As a rule, the local host or relevant authorities and companies can provide practical advice on the type and scope of such security measures.