Iraq ramps up repatriation flights
Shafaq News/ Iraq surpassed the critical phase of its emergency evacuation plan, operating 10 to 12 daily flights to repatriate citizens stranded abroad, the Transport Ministry announced on Friday.
Officials emphasized that national carrier Iraqi Airways has also extended its support beyond Iraqi nationals, assisting foreign and Arab residents trapped abroad by transporting them to their home countries or to alternative safe zones.
The ministry confirmed that since June 15, the airline has maintained a schedule of up to 12 evacuation flights per day as part of the ongoing emergency plan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Iraq Business
a day ago
- Iraq Business
New Iraqi TIR Route "a Game-Changer" for Europe-GCC Logistics
By John Lee. The opening of new Iraqi TIR corridors has enabled a dramatic reduction in transit times between Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with journey durations cut from 24 days to just 10, according to a press release from the International Road Transport Union (IRU). Polish logistics company Milton Group recently completed a round-trip from Poland to the UAE using Iraq's overland TIR transit system. Carrying yacht engines and spare parts, the truck travelled through Poland, Bulgaria, Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia before reaching the UAE. The return leg to Poland was also completed overland, maintaining the 10-day timeframe for each direction. The route passed into Iraq through the Ibrahim Al-Khalil border and exited via Traibeel [Terbil], highlighting Iraq's emergence as a strategic land bridge for trade between Europe and the GCC. The corridor was made fully operational three months ago, with support from IRU members General Company for Land Transportation (GCLT) and Transforat. It forms part of Iraq's wider ambition to become a regional logistics and trade hub. Milton Group COO Waleed Kassem called the development " a game changer, " noting substantial time savings and enhanced logistics resilience by avoiding congested seaports. IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto praised Iraq's efforts, saying this new connectivity offers " faster and more secure journey times " and greater resilience amid regional uncertainties. See our Comprehensive Guide to Logistics in Iraq here. Full statement from the International Road Transport Union (IRU): From Europe to the GCC: New resilient Iraqi TIR routes slash journey times With Iraq now fully operational in the TIR system, new faster and more flexible transport routes are opening between Europe and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. One example: from Poland to the United Arab Emirates in 10 days, more than halving the traditional 24-day journey. Polish transport operator the Milton Group has successfully completed a roundtrip journey linking Poland to the GCC entirely by road, via Iraq's newly operational TIR corridors, with a journey time of 10 days compared to 24 days for traditional maritime-based multimodal routes. The truck, with two drivers, transported yacht engines and spare parts from a Polish factory through the EU to Bulgaria, then through Türkiye, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia before arriving at the customer's facility in the UAE. With the support of IRU members GCLT and Transforat and other partners, TIR corridors in Iraq became fully operational three months ago, reinforcing the country's aim to become a strategic regional logistics and trade hub. Milton, already experienced in multimodal routes between Europe and the Middle East, has been among the first companies to test the new road links. In this case, the trucks entered Iraq from Türkiye via the Ibrahim Al-Khalil border crossing and exited to Jordan via Traibeel. The results were striking: the full road journey took just 10 days, compared to the 24 days typically required for a multimodal route. To further enhance the economic viability of the trip, Milton organised a return load from the UAE back to Poland, completing the roundtrip within the same timeframe. Milton Group Chief Operating Officer Waleed Kassem said, "This new inland TIR transit corridor through Iraq is a game changer for trade between Europe and the Middle East. "By bypassing congested seaports and offering a fully overland route, we've already reduced our door-to-door transit time from 24 days to just 10, a tremendous improvement. "We see a huge opportunity in the development of this corridor and are proud to have taken part. At Milton, we look forward to scaling this route into a core pillar of efficient, secure, and time-sensitive logistics to the GCC region." IRU Secretary General Umberto de Pretto said, "It is truly inspiring to witness the successful launch of this new TIR route through Iraq, seeing the fruits of years of preparations and planning by the Iraqi authorities come to life. "This marks only the beginning of what promises to be a landmark development for resilient regional connectivity across the Middle East via Iraq, not only providing faster and more secure journey times, but offering significantly more route flexibility and resilience to transport and logistics operators to better manage regional uncertainty." TIR is the only globally recognised trade facilitation tool, backed by the UN TIR convention and managed by IRU, ensuring the seamless, secure and cost-effective transit of goods across international borders. (Source: IRU)
Iraqi News
2 days ago
- Iraqi News
UAE's Air Arabia to resume flights to Iraq after Iran-Israel truce
Baghdad ( – Air Arabia, a low-cost carrier located in Sharjah, the UAE, will resume flights to neighboring countries, including Iraq, on July 1, following the reopening of regional airspace after Iran and Israel's 12-day battle. The carrier confirmed the gradual resumption of previously stopped flights as regional airspaces have been reopened following a ceasefire deal between Iran and Israel, according to Gulf News. The airline will resume flight operations to Iraqi destinations, including Baghdad, Erbil, and Basra. Air Arabia will also restart flights to Iran, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Iraqi Airways resumed flights on Wednesday, a day after Iran and Israel reached a ceasefire agreement following a 12-day conflict in which Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged missile and drone raids. After Israel struck Iran on June 13, claiming that its goal was to prevent the country from getting nuclear weapons, airlines continued to avoid huge sections of the Middle East. This avoidance was due to continuous missile clashes between Israel and Iran, the most recent interruption in the region.
Iraq Business
3 days ago
- Iraq Business
Iraq Reopens Airspace to International Air Traffic
By John Lee. The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) has announced on Tuesday the reopening of Iraqi airspace to international air traffic following a comprehensive security assessment and coordination with national and international stakeholders. Bangen Rekani, head of the Civil Aviation Authority, stated that the decision reflects improved security conditions and Iraq's ability to provide high levels of safety and air traffic control for overflying aircraft. The reopening is expected to strengthen Iraq's strategic geographic position as an east-west air corridor, helping global airlines reduce flight times and fuel costs. Air navigation will be managed in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, with a full commitment to safety protocols and continuous coordination with regional air navigation centres and neighbouring countries' aviation offices. (Source: Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority)
