The Asayish acts under the command of the
Kurdistan Parliament and the
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), specifically the Ministry of Interior.
Security missions The Asayish conducts a network of security operations, which include: •
Checkpoints: Asayish
checkpoints are present throughout the Kurdistan Region, typically on roads between towns. Using the KRG's vehicle plate system, Asayish forces distinguish between blue plates (official vehicles), red plates (taxis), white plates (private vehicles), and foreign Iraqi plates. This system allows them to stop and question drivers, and, based on their
Kurdish or non-Kurdish accent, assess whether the person is a local commuter. •
Immigration: Due to the
KRG's separate visa and residency system, applicants from the rest of Iraq may be required to attend an interview at an Asayish headquarters when applying for residency. •
Monitoring: Although officially not stressed, the Asayish is known to maintain a network of
informants and
plain-clothes officers who patrol cities and towns, listening to accents. Those deemed suspicious are interrogated. Following the emergence of the
Islamic State, these security operations increased in scope and intensity. == History ==