Construction of Duhok International Airport resumes

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The construction of Duhok International Airport has resumed after an indefinite halt, according to a statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

The airport is to be built on about 1,000 hectares of land. 

Duhok Governor Ali Tatar said, "The old design of the Duhok International Airport, which was previously installed, has been changed on the orders of Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and a new design has been installed."

The Ministry of Transport and Communications will implement the construction of the airport in two phases.

Dilan Rashad, spokesman for the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, said: "The project will go through two phases, the first phase is to review the master plan and design of the project, and the second phase will involve constructing the airport, [...] which costs $12.8 million.

In the past, work on the Duhok International Airport project has been intermittently halted due to financial crises. However, in Sep. 2021, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani visited the site and said: "Work on the project should be resumed."

Initially conceived in 2012, oversight of the airport's construction has often been redelegated and stuck in a quagmire, with Lebanese and Korean companies unable to come to terms with KRG leadership on the direction of the project.

Duhok is the second-largest province in the Kurdish region and has a population of over 1.2 million. The province is known for its mountainous scenery and ancient archaeological sites.