BAGHDAD, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Flights between Türkiye's Istanbul and Sulaymaniyah in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region resumed on Monday morning, more than two and a half years after being suspended.
The first commercial service, operated by Turkish Airlines, landed at Sulaymaniyah International Airport, according to PUKmedia, the media arm of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which administers the Sulaymaniyah area.
Rebaz Mohammed, the airport's director, told reporters that Turkish Airlines plans to operate four weekly flights on the route.
The resumption ends a ban imposed by Turkish authorities on April 3, 2023, citing security concerns. At the time, the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad said the suspension was due to the "intensification of the PKK terrorist organization's activities in Sulaymaniyah" and infiltration of the airport, which threatened flight safety.
The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), designated a terrorist group by Türkiye, maintains a presence in northern Iraq and frequently clashes with Turkish forces. In May, the PKK announced it would lay down arms following a call by its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan.
Since then, relations between Türkiye and local Kurdish authorities in Iraq have improved, paving the way for the resumption of flights. ■
