Dramatic Developments in Northern Iraq
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Back to some of the dramatic developments in northern Iraq today. We hear that the border has now been closed. Jane Arraf, one of our correspondents, is on duty now near the town of Dohuk -- Jane, what have you learned? Good morning.</s>JANE ARRAF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Paula. Well, we were at that checkpoint this morning and saw streams of cars coming across. But shortly after, about three hours after it opened, word came across, as well, that that checkpoint on the Iraqi side had closed. Now, just before that happened, some people, according to travelers, were abandoning their cars and walking across that informal border to reach taxis on the other side to what they believe is safety. There have been 200,000 people in the city of Dohuk, which we're standing above on this mountain overlooking, that have come through Dohuk further into Kurdish controlled territory, fleeing to what they believe will be the safer countryside. Now, on the Iraqi side of this unofficial border, there are so many families, many of them Kurds originally from here, who are hoping to come, as well, and had been hoping until that checkpoint was closed. And it's believed to be closed in preparation for what's to come. Now, people believe that war imminent, of course, and they're making preparations. Dohuk itself is practically deserted. Shops are shuttered. Not enough children to keep the schools open if it goes down -- Paula.</s>ZAHN: Once again, is there any anticipation, Jane, any more people will be able to get through this checkpoint, even if they just walk across?</s>ARRAF: We're having trouble hearing you on this wind</s>ZAHN: You know what, I can tell that we're going to have a little technical snafu here. But Jane Arraf just reporting that on the Iraqi side of the border, that Iraqi guards have closed it. In spite of that, some people abandoning their cars at the border and simply walking across the border. Now that this official blockage is put in, it remains to be seen how many people will successfully get across into what they think could be potential freedom.