Ninawa provincial council's decision to drop security clearance for ID-card holders not enforced

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Nineveh Provincial Council has voted to lift the security clearance requirement for national ID card applicants, but citizens say state offices are still demanding the document. Mohammed al-Kakai, head of the council's security committee, said the security clearance directorate falls under the federal general directorate in Baghdad and cannot be altered locally without formal approval from the capital. Al-Kakai said the council's decision alone cannot take effect because the file is controlled centrally, and that the federal general directorate must issue a binding instruction to the Nineveh branch before the change is implemented. He added that coordination with Baghdad is essential to resolve the matter. Hasan Ali, a local resident, said authorities — first the Prime Minister's Office and then the Interior Ministry, followed by the provincial council — have issued cancellation decisions since 2019, yet directorates continue to request security clearance. Residents argue that the continued requirement, despite an improved security environment, undermines the value of official documents. No further details on when the federal directive will be issued were immediately available.