Türkiye to resume flights to airport in Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah

ANKARA

Türkiye has lifted its flight ban on an airport in Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdish region, a restriction originally imposed in 2023 due to concerns over the PKK terrorist organization’s activities in the area.

The decision to resume flights to Sulaymaniyah International Airport was announced by the office of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (IKRG) Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani late on Oct. 9, following a meeting in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Erdoğan and Barzani discussed Türkiye’s relations with Iraq and the IKRG, as well as opportunities for cooperation and regional developments, according to a statement from Erdoğan’s office.

Türkiye imposed the ban two years ago, citing an increase in PKK terror operations in Sulaymaniyah that it said posed risks to flight safety.

PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union, has led a decades-long insurgency in Türkiye that has extended into Iraq and Syria, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths.

Earlier this year, PKK agreed to disband and renounce armed conflict as part of a new peace initiative with Türkiye. A symbolic disarmament ceremony was held near Sulaymaniyah in July.

In a statement, the Kurdistan Region Presidency welcomed Türkiye’s decision, calling it a reflection of the strong ties between the two sides and a move that would deepen mutual cooperation.

Turkish Airlines also confirmed the resumption of flights.

“As the flag carrier, we continue to proudly represent Türkiye in the skies across the globe. In line with this vision, we are delighted to soon reconnect our Sulaymaniyah route with the skies once again,” the company's spokesperson, Yahya Üstün, said on social media.

The decision came as Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein arrived in the Turkish capital for talks with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan.