Preparations begin for the annual Duhok marathon (2)

More than 2,000 people have registered; the route starts downtown and ends at the gorge.

According to available figures, the new numbers show a clear improvement compared with the same period last year.

Residents broadly welcomed the step, though some called for greater transparency.

A local expert told our site: "The decision comes at the right time, but what matters most is monitoring how it is carried out."

We will keep following this story and bring readers every update as it happens.

Background

Residents broadly welcomed the step, though some called for greater transparency.