Baghdad Lifts Ban on International Flights to Iraqi Kurdistan - PM Office

CAIRO (Sputnik) - The Iraqi government on Tuesday lifted the ban on international flights to the autonomous region of Kurdistan six months after it was introduced following the independence referendum in the region, the press office of the country's prime minister said on Tuesday.

"To ensure the facilitation of the travel of citizens through Erbil and Sulaymaniyah international airports, and after the response of local authorities in the Kurdistan region to restoration of federal authority on the two airports in accordance with the Constitution, we have decreed the following: international air traffic to and from the airports of the region shall be permitted and in accordance with the approvals of the Federal Civil Aviation Authority after completing the requirements of this Executive Decree, provided that this is not more than one week from its date." the press office said in a statement published on Facebook.

READ MORE: Iraqi Delegation Arrives in Erbil to Discuss Emergency Funding to Kurdistan

Earlier, in September 2017, all international flights to and from Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports were suspended by the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA).

The decision to ground flights followed the refusal of the Kurdistan government to transfer control of Kurdistan regional border posts and airports to the Iraqi government after independence referendum.

The Kurdistan Regional Government considered that decision of the Iraqi authorities as a "collective punishment" and a blockade.