IRBIL, Iraq (AP) – Iraq’s military is preparing to take control of the international borders of the northern Kurdish region.
The preparations are part of the central government’s stepped-up efforts to isolate the Kurds following their vote on independence earlier this week.
They come a day after Iraq instituted a flight ban that halted all international flights from servicing the territory’s airports.
Travelers line up to check in at the Irbil International Airport, in Iraq, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Iraqi troops now in Turkey and Iran were expected to start enforcing control over the border crossings out of the Kurdish region Saturday morning.
Kurdish women hold balloons to protest against the flight ban issued by the Iraq federal government outside the Irbil International Airport in Iraq, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Protestors stand outside the Irbil International Airport to oppose the flight ban issued by the Iraq federal government, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
A Kurdish woman holds a banner with ‘independence’ written on it to protest against the flight ban issued by the Iraq federal government outside the Irbil International Airport in Iraq, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Protestors stand outside the Irbil International Airport to oppose the flight ban issued by the Iraq federal government, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Kurdish women hold balloons to protest against the flight ban issued by the Iraq federal government outside the Irbil International Airport in Iraq, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
A Kurdish man stands outside the Irbil International Airport to protest against the flight ban issued by the Iraq federal government, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Travelers queue to check in at the Irbil International Airport, in Iraq, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Hours ahead of a flight ban threatened by the central government, hundreds of passengers file through Irbil international airport Friday, September 29, 2017. The ban on all international flights servicing airports in the Kurdish region follows a controversial Kurdish independence referendum held this week that appears to be leaving the small land-locked Kurdish region increasingly isolated. (AP Photo/Susannah George)
Travelers line up to check in at the Irbil International Airport, in Iraq, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Hours ahead of a flight ban threatened by the central government, passengers file through Irbil international airport Friday, September 29, 2017. The ban on all international flights servicing airports in the Kurdish region follows a controversial Kurdish independence referendum held this week that appears to be leaving the small land-locked Kurdish region increasingly isolated. (AP Photo/Susannah George)
Travelers wait outside the Irbil International Airport in Iraq Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Travelers queue to check in at the Irbil International Airport, in Iraq, Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
A traveler checks his phone in front of a Kurdish airline ticket office at the Irbil International Airport in Iraq Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Many travelers boarded the last flights out of the cities of Irbil and Sulaymaniyah as an Iraqi government order to halt all international flights in Kurdish territory was set to kick in on Friday. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
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