Hundreds of government employees in the Kurdistan Region have been unable to access their salaries this week after ATMs belonging to the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI) failed to process their cards, sparking protests outside bank branches.

ATM Malfunctions Leave Workers Empty-Handed

Employees reported that when they inserted their cards into TBI machines, they were told their cards were “not active.” Some said their codes were read but transactions were blocked. Despite repeated attempts since Tuesday, many workers have yet to receive their salaries.

I have been waiting for my salary since Tuesday and returning home empty-handed for three days

one employee told Channel8.

TBI officials have so far declined to comment on the issue.

Protests in Sulaymaniyah

Frustrated by the delays, hundreds of employees gathered outside the TBI branch in Sulaymaniyah this week to demand immediate resolution of the problem. The protests began Tuesday, when the government had announced the start of salary distribution.

Government Response

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Ministry of Finance and Economy acknowledged the disruptions, saying it had already transferred 27 billion Iraqi dinars to the Commercial Bank of Iraq (CBI) for the distribution of salaries to 24,000 employees through TBI this month.

In a statement late Sunday, the ministry urged TBI to “comply with its contractual obligations” under the “My Account” project, ensure adequate staffing, and keep ATMs properly stocked with cash across the Kurdistan Region, particularly in Sulaymaniyah.

Despite these calls, the technical problems continue, leaving thousands of employees still waiting for payments.