Iraq extends Kurdistan flight ban for two more months

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi government on Wednesday extended the international flights' ban on the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil and Sulaimani airports for another two months.

Talar Faiq, the Director of Erbil International Airport (EIA), told Kurdistan 24 that the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi renewed the flight ban on the Region’s airports until Feb. 28.

Faiq stated that Iraqi government’s decision was political and had nothing to do with the normal procedures applied in the Kurdistan Region’s airports, adding that the decision was part of the punitive measures by Abadi’s cabinet against the people of the Region.

He explained that there was hope that Erbil and Baghdad would resume dialogue and the flight ban would be lifted but this new decision proved that Abadi was never willing to negotiate with the Kurdistan Region.

Faiq urged the international community to convince the Iraqi government to lift the ban since the decision is harmful to the people of the Kurdistan Region.

According to EIA statement, the number of passengers in October was reduced by 72%: 44,504 passengers, compared to 159,237 in 2016.

Also, in November, the number of passengers was reduced by 64%: 47,384 compared to 129,793 in 2016. Cargo tonnage has all but disappeared during the same period, with monthly averages of 2,500 tonnes plunging to less than 10 tonnes.”

The international flight ban by the Iraqi government came into effect on Friday, Sep. 29 at 6:00 p.m. as a response to a referendum on independence for the Kurdistan Region, which Baghdad vehemently opposed.

Editing by Sam A.