Iraq resumes air travel after temporary suspension due to regional tensions
The temporary suspension was initially announced by Iraq's Ministry of Transportation and Communications, which had halted all civilian air traffic across Iraqi airports due to regional security concerns.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Ahmed Hoshyar, Director of Erbil International Airport (EIA), confirmed to Kurdistan24 on Saturday, that Iraq has resumed its air operations following an earlier suspension.
The temporary suspension was initially announced by Iraq's Ministry of Transportation and Communications, which had halted all civilian air traffic across Iraqi airports due to regional security concerns.
In an official statement, the ministry's media office explained that the suspension was implemented "due to regional tensions and to ensure the safety of civilian aviation in Iraqi airspace."
The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority had initiated procedures to clear Iraqi airspace of all transit flights and regular air traffic as a precautionary measure to protect passenger safety and aircraft crossing Iraqi airspace.
Iraqi Airways, the national carrier, had also temporarily suspended all its flights until further notice as a preventive safety measure to ensure passenger security.
The suspension came in response to Israel launching operations against Iran early Saturday morning, which was characterized as retaliation for Iran's extensive ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1.
The swift resumption of air travel indicates Iraqi authorities' ongoing assessment of regional security situations while maintaining necessary precautions to ensure civilian aviation safety.