Iraqi govt. to put Kurdistan-based mobile networks under control

The Iraqi government has decided to impose control over mobile phone operators in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and to relocate their headquarters to Baghdad as part of punitive measures taken in response to last month’s secession referendum in the region.

"The government committee for national security has decided that all mobile phone networks must be under the federal control and should be moved to Baghdad," the government said in a statement following a cabinet meeting on Monday.

The statement didn't identify the networks, but the measure is believed to be directed at Korek and Asiacell, based in Erbil, the local capital of the Kurdistan region, and the Kurdish city of Sulaymaniyah, respectively. Iraq's third operator, Zain, is based in Baghdad.

Nor did the statement elaborate on how the measure would be implemented and whether their licenses would be repealed by the central government if they didn't comply.

Baghdad has taken a series of measures against the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including a ban on international flights into and out of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region in response to the non-binding referendum.

Much of the international community has been vocally critical of the September 25 referendum.

SS