Iraq terminates ban on cargo planes landing directly in Kurdistan
The government of Iraq reversed its decision to ban cargo planes from directly landing in the Kurdistan Region, an official said.
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The government of Iraq reversed its decision to ban cargo planes from directly landing in the Kurdistan Region, an official said on Thursday.
The Iraqi Ministry of Transportation on Wednesday announced it would inspect all cargo planes in the Baghdad International Airport before allowing them to land in any provinces of Iraq, including the ones in the Kurdistan Region.
It was unclear what reason was behind the ban.
The autonomous Kurdistan Region has two international airports which are located in the Erbil and Sulaimani provinces. Both airport authorities expressed concerns about the move to the federal government.
The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority claimed they had no information regarding the reason behind the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation's decision to inspect all cargo planes in Baghdad.
The Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) Ministry of Transportation and Communication told Kurdistan24 Baghdad did not inform them about the decision.
“We [Ministry] have not received any official letters from Baghdad regarding the ban or the reversal,” Umed Salih, the spokesperson of the KRG's Ministry of Transportation and Communication told Kurdistan24 on Friday.
Over the past decade, the KRG has tried to gain autonomy and sole authority over the Kurdistan Region's airspace. Attempts so far have been unsuccessful as it remains under the authority of the federal government of Iraq.
Editing by G. H. Renaud