MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Wednesday raised Alert Level 3 over Iraq, which calls for voluntary repatriation, prompted by the higher than expected surge in terrorist and sectarian violence in that Middle East country, following the withdrawal of United States military forces last December.

This development automatically bans further deployment of OFWs to that country.

The DFA said the alert level covers all regions of Iraq, except the northern autonomous region of Kurdistan, near the country’s border with Turkey.

“Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario has given marching orders to the Philippine Embassy in Baghdad to contact and urge all remaining overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in the country, to avail themselves of the repatriation offer,” the DFA said in a statement issued Wednesday.

Under Alert Level 3, Filipinos who wish to leave Iraq are offered voluntary repatriation at government expense.

A ban on the further deployment of OFWs is automatically imposed, in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

Filipinos are likewise advised not to travel to the affected areas while Alert Level 3 is in effect.

There are at least192 OFWs in Iraq’s Kurdish region, and 279 others in the rest of the country registered with the Embassy.

Earlier, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari personally gave his assurance to Secretary Del Rosario that it is ready to provide any assistance to the Philippine government’s repatriation efforts.

Embassy officials will also meet with the respective employers of Filipinos who will choose to stay in Iraq to review the security measures of those companies.