Zaidi Cancels Three Companies’ Contracts At Mosul Airport
Iraqi PM orders immediate cancellation over alleged links to armed groups and tells officials to hand projects and services to trusted international companies
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Saturday ordered the immediate cancellation of the contracts of three companies at Mosul International Airport over their alleged links to armed groups, and decided that the airport’s projects and services be handed to trusted international companies, according to an informed source who spoke to Iraqi media. The source did not provide documents or evidence, and neither the prime minister’s office nor the companies have commented.
The source said Sky Plus, which held the contract to rent and manage the airport’s counters, had its contract canceled over its alleged ties to armed groups, and the contract is to be given to an international company. The prime minister also ordered the cancellation of the contract to rent the airport’s internal car park, held by Sama al-Matar, for the same reason, and that contract is to go to a global company. He also directed that the contract to rent the airport’s taxi office, held by al-Faisal al-Shamekh, be canceled because of its alleged links to armed groups, and that the service be sent to specialized international companies.
The order comes as al-Zaidi tries to cut the commercial networks of armed factions out of state contracts. On Thursday, he told the Defense Industries Commission to deal directly with manufacturers and not with intermediary companies, which sources told Asharq Al-Awsat serve as a financing channel for armed factions, according to Arab News. In June, he canceled a $764 million contract to redevelop Baghdad airport over corruption concerns, according to The National. About three weeks ago, during a visit to Mosul, he invited foreign airport management and operating companies to invest in Mosul International Airport, according to Iraqi media.
The airport, rebuilt after ISIS destroyed it, reopened to domestic flights on November 1, 2025, while talks continued with international companies to operate it, and 12 Turkish, British, Emirati and Omani firms bid, according to Iraqi media and Al-Monitor. The decision also comes as the US presses Baghdad on weapons control, and US envoy Tom Barrack met al-Zaidi on Thursday.