Foreign airlines suspend flights to Iraqi Kurdistan

Today, the official Baghdad imposed a ban on international flights to the Kurdish region of Iraq in connection with the carrying out of a referendum on independence, according to Reuters.

Almost all of the foreign airlines temporarily halted flights to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, to enforce the order of the government in Baghdad, which controls Iraq’s airspace.

The ban should enter into force at 18.00 local time.

According to the Agency, passengers will be able to get to Kurdistan’s domestic flights through the airport of Baghdad.

More than 90% of voters in the referendum supported independence of Kurdistan.

In the vote on September 25 was attended by residents of the provinces of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Dohuk, as well as some areas outside the Kurdish Autonomous region.

Iraq, Iran and Turkey do not recognize the referendum.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called a referendum on Kurdistan’s independence illegal and has threatened sanctions.