Iraq imposes flight ban on Kurdish region after independence vote

Iraq has imposed a ban on international flights into Iraq’s Kurdish region as part of backlash against the region’s referendum for secession.

Despite opposition from neighbouring countries as much as from Iraq, the Kurds in the country have, nevertheless, shown overwhelming support in favour of the split from Baghdad in a referendum on September 25.

The ban came into force at 6pm (15:00 GMT) on September 29 as foreign airlines suspended their flights to the region’s Erbil and Sulaimaniya airports, obeying a notice from the government in Baghdad, which controls Iraqi air space, Al Jazeera reported.

Earlier, Turkey had threatened to impose restrictions on oil trading with Iraqi Kurds after they endorsed secession by nine to one vote. If Turkey goes ahead with the threat, the consequences would be severe for the Kurdish Regional Government as it relies on sales of crude for almost all its hard currency revenues.