Iraq Eases Western Airspace Restrictions for Civilian Aviation

Iraq announced Friday that it has returned restricted airspace in the western part of the country to civilian control, ending limits that had been in place for military operations since 2016, according to a statement from the transport ministry.

The ministry said all previously reserved zones stretching across western Iraq, from north to south, have now been handed over to the authority overseeing airports and air navigation for civilian use. The change is expected to give Iraqi aviation officials greater flexibility to redesign flight routes, ease restrictions on aircraft movement and improve overall airspace efficiency. The restricted zones had originally been set aside for military operations against Daesh in 2016 and 2017, when much of Iraq’s western desert served as a base for that campaign.

Ehab Saad Karim, director of the General Company for Airports and Air Navigation Management, told a press conference that the airspace management team confirmed the military zones listed in Iraq’s aeronautical guide are no longer being used for military operations. He said the decision followed years of technical and institutional work aimed at improving air traffic efficiency and flow, and that reopening the routes should boost revenue, improve civilian air traffic and support the national economy.

Transport Ministry spokesperson Hussein Ahmed told Reuters that the remaining technical and regulatory steps needed to complete the transition would be finished by October 1. The ministry said the lifting of these military-linked restrictions is part of broader withdrawal procedures, as Iraq and the United States carry out arrangements for the departure of remaining troops from the US-led international coalition.

Also Read:

Jeddah Volunteers Take Action to Preserve Red Sea Marine Ecosystem

F-35 Fighter Jet Deal: Saudi Arabia Welcomes Proposed Agreement