Baghdad’s flight ban on Kurdistan is political with no legal, constitutional basis: Minister

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Federal Government of Iraq’s recent decision to ban international flights to airports in the Kurdistan Region is political and punishment for the Sep. 25 independence referendum, a Kurdish official said on Saturday.

The Kurdistan Region’s Parliament held a session to respond to Baghdad’s recent decision to ban international flights to and from the Erbil and Sulaimani International Airports which was enforced on Friday evening.

In the session, the Region’s Minister of Transport Mawlud Bawamurad talked about the decision and emphasized Kurdistan’s compliance to the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority’s (ICAA) instructions.

“We have followed all the orders and instructions of the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority,” he stated.

“Not a single plane can land in the Kurdistan Region without the supervision and authority of the ICAA,” Bawamurad continued. “We have been and will continue to abide by the ICAA orders and instructions.”

He also noted he had contacted the Transport Minister of Iraq and discussed the matter.

According to Bawamurad, the Iraqi Minister expressed his disagreement on the flight ban, adding he had no authority over the decision but the head of the Iraqi Council of Ministers—and Iraqi PM—Haider Al-Abadi did.

“The decision has no legal and constitutional basis, but a political one,” as a punishment on Kurdistan for expressing their will in the Sep. 25 referendum, the Kurdish Minister said.

The Kurdish official also mentioned that those who would be affected by the flight ban were civilians and wounded Peshmerga who travel abroad for medical treatment.

Humanitarian aid sent to displaced people, foreign consulates and offices in Kurdistan, and companies currently working in the Region would also be affected, Bawamurad added.

“In August and September alone, about 1,800 Peshmerga injured in the fight against Da’esh have traveled abroad from Erbil and Sulaimani airports to receive medical treatment,” he said, using the Arabic pejorative for the Islamic State (IS).

Commenting on the alleged Iraqi officers who plan to visit Erbil, he said the Kurdistan Region would welcome them “as guests” for dialogue and negotiations.

However, he noted they would not be authorized to “step in and stay” in the airports as permanent employees.

Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have increased, especially after the Kurdish leadership moved forward with a decision to hold the referendum, which ended with 92.7 percent voting for secession.

Regarding claims Baghdad had asked Ankara to shut down internet services provided to the Kurdistan Region, the Kurdish Transport Ministry rejected the rumor in a statement, reassuring the services would not stop.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany