EgyptAir to suspend all flights to Erbil as of Friday
Move comes following northern Iraq’s illegitimate referendum on regional independence
By Mahmoud al-Husseini
CAIRO (AA) - Egypt’s national air carrier on Wednesday announced that, as of Friday, it would suspend all flights to Erbil, the administrative capital of northern Iraq’s Kurdish region.
“Based on a request by the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority, all the airline’s flights to Erbil will be indefinitely suspended as of Friday, Sept. 29,” EgyptAir said in a Wednesday press release.
EgyptAir currently operates three flights a week between Cairo and Erbil.
Earlier Wednesday, Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines, too, announced plans to halt all flights -- also starting Friday -- both to and from northern Iraq’s Kurdish region.
The moves come amid mounting tension between Baghdad and northern Iraq’s Kurdish region over the latter’s decision to hold an illegitimate referendum on regional independence.
Monday’s controversial referendum had faced opposition from most international actors, many of whom had warned that the poll would further destabilize the region and distract from the ongoing fight against Daesh.
Kaynak:
This news has been read 412 times in total
Türkçe karakter kullanılmayan ve büyük harflerle yazılmış yorumlar onaylanmamaktadır.