Nineveh provincial council lifts security clearance requirement for ID cardholders

MOSUL, Iraq — The Nineveh Provincial Council approved on Tuesday a decision lifting the security clearance requirement for ID cardholders in the province, during its 59th regular session chaired by council head Ahmed al-Hasud. The session also unanimously approved several administrative and service files, including the allocation of a land parcel in Bartella and measures to support the livestock sector. Council members also discussed the formation and completion of standing committees, aimed at strengthening oversight and technical capacity. The decision follows a 2024 announcement by Nineveh Governor Abdulqadir al-Dahil that security checks for unified ID cardholders at government departments had been removed. At the time, the governor's office said the decision took effect the same day, allowing citizens to conduct transactions at government offices without an intelligence stamp or security review. Local sources said that since Mosul's liberation from terrorist groups, security approvals had still been required for some official procedures and real estate leasing, drawing continued complaints from residents.