ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s civil aviation authority said Tuesday that 25 civilian aircraft are stranded at the country’s airports and efforts are underway to move them out to prevent potential damage. Bangin Rekani, acting head of Iraq's Civil Aviation Authority, told Rudaw's Sangar Abdulrahman they are awaiting suitable conditions to relocate the aircraft, but “Iraq's airspace continuously contains drones, missiles, and fighter jets, and the timing is not safe for civilian aircraft to fly and be moved.” He added that Iraq’s Joint Operations Command has not yet granted approval for the relocation, noting that flights will only be allowed during a period of reduced risk or when conditions permit. Iraq’s airspace has remained closed since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched a large-scale military campaign against Iran. In response, Tehran and allied armed groups have carried out drone and missile attacks targeting US and Israeli-linked sites across the region. Rekani said the stranded aircraft are distributed across several airports, including two Emirates airline planes at Basra airport, one Erbil Fly aircraft at Erbil International Airport, and 22 aircraft at Baghdad International Airport. Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have faced repeated missile and drone attacks from pro-Iran armed groups as well as US-Israeli strikes. Targets have included Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) positions in multiple provinces, along with energy and civilian infrastructure in the Kurdistan Region, including Erbil International Airport and the Khor Mor gas field. Peshmerga bases have also been hit, resulting in several casualties.
