Peregraf
Turkey has extended its airspace closure to Sulaymaniyah International Airport for an additional six months, a source at the airport told Peregraf.
The initial ban, imposed on April 3, 2023, was intended to last three months but has now been extended three times, with the latest decision keeping the restriction in place until mid-2025.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry has justified the closure, citing alleged activities by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in and around the airport, which it claims pose a threat to aviation security. “PKK activities in Sulaymaniyah have increased and infiltrated the airport, endangering flight safety,” the ministry stated.
Sulaymaniyah officials, however, have strongly denied these accusations, emphasizing that the airport operates solely as a civilian facility. They have repeatedly urged Turkey to reconsider the decision, arguing that it harms the region’s connectivity and economic development.