Iraq completes customs and border personnel rotation under PM directive

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's General Customs Authority has completed the transfer, dismissal and rotation of customs center directors and their deputies under a directive from Prime Minister Ali Falah al-Zeydi. The process covers all personnel at border crossings without exception, according to the authority's announcement. Under the decision, all brigade and unit commanders at the Border Forces Command were included in the rotation, and crossing-point personnel were transferred under the Interior Ministry. The ministry was instructed to close all illegal land and sea crossing routes and has tasked security and intelligence units with carrying out the order. Officials said the personnel changes at border crossings are intended to dismantle entrenched networks of influence and break up corruption and smuggling structures that have built up over years. The Prime Minister's Office also sought to prevent any interference or arrangements that could suspend the transfer and rotation decisions, with a 48-hour emergency period identified for that purpose. Experts separately recommended accelerating digitalization at customs, fully implementing the ASYCUDA system and installing mandatory electronic tracking on trucks. Security officials said the option of converting urban checkpoints into AI-supported smart systems is under review. No further details on the timeline of the rotation's implementation were immediately available.