Over 700 daily overflights as Iraqi airspace fully recovers post-tensions
Iraqi ministerial committee on Erbil-Baghdad budget issues holds first meeting
President Barzani, Iraq security advisor discuss PKK disarmament, Iran border pact
US urges resolution as Erbil, Baghdad draft proposals to end salary, oil disputes
Iraqi cabinet stalls on KRG salaries, forms committee to address Erbil-Baghdad issues
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Major international airlines are returning to Iraqi airspace, leading to a record number of overflights, Iraq's transport ministry announced Wednesday. Officials say the development reflects renewed confidence in Iraq's air navigation capabilities and the full recovery of its airspace following recent regional tensions.
According to a Wednesday statement by the ministry, airlines such as Air France, Russia's Red Wings, Uzbekistan Airways, and Air India have resumed using Iraqi airspace. New international cargo and private carriers from Austria, Turkey, and San Marino are also now flying over the country regularly.
Abbas al-Baydani, director of Iraq's General Company for Air Navigation Services (GCANS), said the return of global carriers "clearly demonstrates the enhanced trust of global airlines in Iraqi airspace, reflecting our technical and regulatory readiness in accordance with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization [ICAO].'
Baydani noted that overflights now exceed 700 aircraft per day - the highest level of aviation traffic Iraq has ever recorded.
For his part, Mudhar Thamer, director of Air Traffic Management at GCANS, said the increase is being managed with 'the highest levels of efficiency in determining routes and altitudes to ensure air traffic safety.'
The ministry described the recovery as a vital step toward revitalizing the country's aviation sector and reaffirming Iraq's strategic aerial position in the region.
Air traffic across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region officially resumed on June 24, ending a 10-day closure prompted by the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Iran on June 13.
Tensions spiked after Israeli airstrikes in Iran killed senior military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks on Israel.
The situation escalated further on June 22 when the United States struck three Iranian nuclear sites. Tehran retaliated by launching a missile strike on a US base in Qatar. A ceasefire, brokered by Washington, was reached two days later.
The Israel-Iran conflict led to a full closure of Iraqi and Kurdistan Region airspace.
Dilan Rashad, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) transport ministry, then told Rudaw the 10-day suspension resulted in the cancellation of 1,283 flights across the Region's airports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
US citizen killed in West Bank settler attack
Shafaq News – Ramallah A Palestinian-American citizen was killed during an Israeli settler attack near the West Bank town of Sinjil, the US State Department confirmed Saturday, amid a sharp rise in settler-led violence across the occupied territory. Seif al-Din Kamel Muslat, 23, died after being severely beaten by settlers. Another Palestinian, Mohammad Rizq Shalabi, also 23, was found dead hours later following the same raid. Dozens more were injured as settlers rampaged through the town late Friday. 'We are providing consular assistance to the family,' a State Department spokesperson told Ynet, declining to elaborate. The killings come as the West Bank endures an unprecedented wave of settler violence since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 740 settler attacks resulting in casualties or damage were documented between January and June 2025—averaging four per day. Armed settlers, often backed by Israeli soldiers, have displaced at least 635 Palestinians so far this year, targeting rural communities in Ramallah, Jericho, and the Jordan Valley. At least nine villages have been entirely emptied since January 2023. In the latest incident, settlers reportedly used clubs and firearms, blocked roads, and set fire to property in Sinjil. Human rights groups say Israel's far-right government has 'emboldened settler militias by distributing arms, shielding perpetrators from prosecution, and integrating some into formal security units.' Since the Gaza war began, over 1000 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in settler-related incidents. Under international law, Israel's settlements and the forcible transfer of protected populations are considered illegal and may constitute war crimes. Critics say the violence is part of a broader strategy to depopulate Palestinian communities and expand Israeli control over the occupied territory.
Memri
7 hours ago
- Memri
SUPPORT MEMRI RESEARCH TODAY – Donate To Our 2025 Summer Campaign
Following the 12-day Israel/U.S.-Iran war and with a possible resolution to the war in Gaza on the horizon, the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) continues to provide vital research, primary source translations, original analysis, and vital early warning to the governments of the U.S. and its allies and to their counterterrorism officials, law enforcement agencies, militaries, and other authorities. As the region resets, with never-before seen changes and increased tensions, MEMRI's work is more important and more needed now than ever before. Meanwhile, the last Iranian proxy standing, the Houthis, are renewing their disruption of shipping in the Red Sea and their launching of drones and missiles at Israel; China continues efforts to expand to the South China Sea and Taiwan; and civil wars continue in Sudan and Libya. In all these arenas, MEMRI is working around the clock, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, monitoring and translating, documenting its cutting-edge research, and providing open-source intelligence (OSINT). As always, our wide-ranging work focuses on the most recent and most critical events and developments in these regions. No other organization does the work that we are doing. But this work is resource intensive, and we need your help today. Your tax-deductible gift supports all of our vital work. YOUR TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION SUPPORTS MEMRI RESEARCH Since MEMRI's establishment nearly 30 years ago, we have become one of the world's most productive nonprofit think tanks focusing on the Middle East and South Asia and on threats from these regions to the U.S. and the West. Our research output equals or surpasses that of similar organizations many times our size with many times our budget. In the past decade, not one day has passed without new MEMRI research being posted on our website and sent out in emails to hundreds of thousands of subscribers. MEMRI research is filling a major void; in our 27th year, we again prove ourselves leaders in this field. But during these eventful times, our research and translation teams remain stretched to the limit. There is so much more of this primary source material that MEMRI needs to monitor, translate, and distribute. As we face so many more tasks this year, we continue to produce ever more research and distribute it to governments, legislatures, media, and you, our readers. We are appealing to you, our donors and readers, to help support our work. Areas we are closely monitoring, with a focus on statements by governments, terrorist and rebel groups, and their leaders, include: Iran: Following the war, Iranian regime officials and clerics ramp up their assassination threats against Trump, as they withdraw from all international nuclear oversight organizations and vow to double down on the country's nuclear program. At the same time, Iran's non-Persian ethnic groups call for the downfall of the Islamic regime and possibilities for a new future for the country. Qatar: Qatar, the foremost sponsor of terrorism worldwide that pretends to be a U.S. ally continues to pretend also to be an "honest broker" in negotiations, amid its ongoing efforts to buy influence in the West, including in U.S. higher education. Gaza and Lebanon: As Hamas continues to attempt to thwart the distribution of humanitarian aid that it once exclusively controlled – thus controlling Gaza's civilian population – the Lebanese government, under U.S. pressure, demands that Hizbullah disarm, but Hizbullah's compliance is not assured. Syria : Amid President Trump's lifting of all remaining U.S. sanctions on Syria, and removal of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham – the organization led by Syrian leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa that took over the country in December – from the list of designated terrorists, Syria appears to be interested in security arrangements with Israel. Yemen's Houthis: Ansar Allah (the Houthis), the last Iranian proxy left standing, resumes its disruption of shipping in the Red Sea and missile and drone launches towards Israel. Jihadi activity: There are increased threats and chatter about lone wolf attacks in the West, from ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other jihadi organizations. Russia-Iran-China Alliance: The 12-day Israel/U.S.-Iran war laid bare the limits of Russia's and China's support for Iran, as neither came to Iran's defense during that time. Extremist imams and Islamist organizations in the U.S. and West: In addition to all these regions, MEMRI focuses on exposing the continuing extremism emanating from mosques and Islamist organizations in the U.S. We continue our mission to "bridge the language gap" and to make it possible for U.S. officials and the public to understand what is happening both outside the U.S. and inside it (such as in sermons in mosques). We are appealing to you, as a reader and donor who is aware of our vital work, to continue with a greater effort to support our work. Your donation will also support these special projects: MEMRI TV – The MEMRI TV project scours hundreds of channels and online broadcasting outlets – Arabic, Farsi, Urdu, Turkish, Russian, Chinese, and Korean – for relevant, important content to record, translate, subtitle, and publish. To date, MEMRI TV clips, numbering nearly 12,000, have had over 350 million views across the web. No other research like this is being carried out by any intelligence community anywhere in the West. Lantos Archives on Antisemitism and Holocaust Denial – Named after the late honorable Congressman and Holocaust survivor Tom Lantos, this project exposes Muslim antisemitism in the Arab and Muslim world and the West, and also monitors online propaganda, incitement, threats, and recruitment activity by violent neo-Nazi groups and individuals. It maintains the world's largest archives on these subjects. Our linguists and analysts – experts in the field – have been exposing extremism, antisemitism, and jihadi threats for over a quarter of a century, and have thwarted a number of actual planned attacks. We ask you today to help us continue our essential, unique, and vital work. We cannot do this without you. With gratitude,
Memri
7 hours ago
- Memri
Mauritanians Continue To Donate Millions To Hamas Military Wing – With The Support Of President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, Who Is Visiting The White House
On July 9, 2025, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, along with the presidents of Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Senegal, met with U.S. President Donald Trump after being officially invited to the White House, as part of the U.S.-Africa summit being held in Washington. Ghazouani's visit is focused on advancing shared U.S.-Mauritania economic interests, including boosting investments and trade and developing natural resources.[1] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also reportedly set to meet with President Ghazouani. This meeting, which is to take place on the sidelines of the U.S.-Africa summit, is being brokered by the Trump administration, which is interested in expanding the Abraham Accords.[2] Trump's meeting with the Mauritanian president took place despite the fact that this country fosters terrorism by granting political support and financial assistance to Hamas.[3] As a matter of fact, Mauritania holds direct ties with Hamas, as exemplified by an official visit to Mauritania in 2021 by a Hamas delegation led by then-head of the movement's political bureau Isma'il Haniya, as well as many other visits by Hamas delegations and officials to Mauritanian in the recent years. Moreover, Hamas has an official representation in the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott, which raises funds for the movement's military wing. This fundraising activity intensified after Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which led to the Gaza war. Since the attack millions of dollars have been raised for Hamas in Mauritania. The funds – provided in local currency[4] – are presented as donations for the people of Gaza, but they are delivered directly to Hamas's representative in Mauritania, Muhammad Subhi Abu Saqer. This enables the movement to channel the money to military purposes rather than civilian ones. At a recent event organized by Hamas in Mauritania, Abu Saqer admitted that the funds raised by Mauritanians were used to purchase arms for Hamas' military wing, the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, saying that the Mauritanian aid was "present on the battlefield" and helped the movement to buy arms and excavate tunnels. The donations for Hamas are collected by various tribes in Mauritania and by organizations with direct ties with the movement, such as the Mauritanian Islamic Forum and the National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People. The Mauritanian Islamic Forum donates one billion ouguiyas ($25 million) to Hamas (Image: December 26, 2024) This report reviews Hamas's continued fundraising efforts in Mauritania. Hamas: Mauritanian President Ghazouani Is One Of Our "Partners In Victory" As stated, Mauritania under President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani maintains direct ties with Hamas. For example, in June 2021 a Hamas delegation headed by then-head of the movement's political bureau, Ismail Haniya, made an official visit to the country and met with President Ghazouani. The delegation also included other senior Hamas officials, such as Moussa Abu Marzouq, Khalil Al-Haya, Izzat Al-Rishq, Taher Al-Nounou and Sami Abu Zuhri. The Mauritanian news agency reported that, during the meeting with President Ghazouani, the Hamas leadership praised him for "politically backing" the Mauritanian public in "expressing its solidarity with Jerusalem, Gaza, the resistance [i.e., Hamas] and the Palestinian people, including [by] launching a donation drive..."[5] Ghazouani, for his part, praised Hamas's "achievements" in "the Sword of Jerusalem campaign," referring to the round of fighting between Hamas and israel in May 2021.[6] President Ghazouani meeting in 2021 with a Hamas delegation headed by the movement's leader at the time, Isma'il Haniya (Image: June 21, 2021) In fact, Mauritania has served for years as a convenient arena for Hamas activity. Hamas delegations led by Sami Abu Zuhri – a senior official of Hamas abroad who holds a Mauritanian passport – made frequent official visits to the country, met with high-ranking figures and participated in mass events. Beyond its ties with the movement and its praise for its activities, Mauritania also allows Hamas to maintain an official representation on its soil, which is responsible for raising vast sums of money for the movement's military wing. President Ghazouani, who supports Hamas and its activities, is held in great esteem by the movement, which credits him with the great success of the fundraising campaigns in the country. This was evident in an event held by the Hamas representation in Mauritania on March 12, 2025, attended by Hamas officials Sami Abu Zuhri and Osama Hamdan. The event was held to thank and praise the Mauritanian donors, and a banner behind the speakers' podium, captioned "Partners in Victory," featured an image of President Ghazouani.[7] Banner at Hamas event in Nouakchott features a portrait of Mauritanian President Ghazouani and the caption "Partners in Victory" (Image: March 12, 2025) Hamas Representative: The Mauritanian Fundraising Efforts Are A Form Of "Jihad"; This Money Has A Part In "Every Explosive Device, Every Bomb, Every Bullet And Every Tunnel" Used By Hamas An event held by Hamas's representation in Mauritania several weeks before this, on February 8, 2025, was also intended to thank the Mauritanian people for their support of the "resistance." The event was attended by Hamas's representative in the country, Muhammad Abu Saqer, and by representatives of the Mauritanian Islamic Forum and the National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People, two organizations involved in fundraising for Hamas. At this event too, a banner was displayed featuring a photo of President Ghazouani alongside the words: "Thank you, Mauritania." Another banner glorified Hamas leaders killed in the war: Yahya Sinwar, Isma'il Haniya and Saleh Al-Arouri. In his speech at the event, Abu Saqer noted that the donations to the movement were still coming. He quoted the spokesman of Hamas's military wing, Abu Obeida, as saying "Your money and your support have reached us and continue to reach us," and expressed gratitude for "the support and help in strengthening the military power of the Martyr Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades." Abu Saqer described the financial aid extended by Mauritanians to Hamas as a form of jihad, and stated that this money is "present on the battlefield" and facilitates military action and the excavation of tunnels. He said: "Your [fundraising] jihad was [evident] in every explosive device, every bomb, every bullet, every tunnel and every operation that killed the enemies of Allah."[8] Muhammad Abu Saqer speaks at the February 8, 2025 Hamas event in Mauritania (Image: February 8, 2025) Advertisement for the February 8, 2025 Hamas event in Mauritania (Image: February 7, 2025) In his speech at the same event, Sheikhani Bibb, the secretary-general of the Mauritanian "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" organization , praised Hamas's October 7 terror attack and the movement's military wing, which he said had gladdened the Mauritanians by "reviving the spirit of jihad and sacrifice." He emphasized that the situation after the October 7 attack will not be the same as the situation before it, and added that these are the first steps toward the "liberation" of Palestine.[9] Mauritanian Organizations And Tribes Raise Millions For Hamas As noted, since the beginning of the Gaza war, tribes in Mauritania have raised millions of dollars for the Hamas movement. In the recent months these tribes have continued to transfer funds to Hamas's representative in the country, Muhammad Abu Saqer. For example, in January 2025, the Leghlal tribe presented him with a check for one billion ouguiyas ($25 million) as part of "an aid initiative for Gaza." This was the second installment of the donation, following an earlier instalment, of $5.5 million, made by the tribe in February 2024.[10] The Leghlal tribe presents Hamas representative Abu Saqer with a check for one billion ouguiyas ($25 million) as part of an "aid initiative for Gaza" (Image: January 11, 2025) Also conspicuous in their fundraising efforts are the two aforementioned organizations, the Mauritanian Islamic Forum and the National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People. These organizations stress that the donations are intended for "supporting Gaza" and "supporting the Palestinian people," but in actual fact they collect funds for Hamas in cooperation with the Mauritanian tribes. The following are examples from the recent months: The "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" Organization In January 2025 the Ijman tribe presented this organization, headed by Sheikhani Bibb, with a check for 50 million ouguiyas ($1.25 million) "for supporting Gaza" and "aiding the Palestinian people."[11] The Ijman tribe hands over 50 million ouguiyas ($1.25 million) to the "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" organization as "aid for Gaza" (Image: January 11, 2025) That same month, the Tanadgha tribe raised $2.2 million "for the Palestinian people" via a Whatsapp group and delivered it to the "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" organization. The Tanadgha tribe donates $2.2 million "to the Palestinian people" in cooperation with the "National Ribat for Support of the Palestinian People" organization (Image: January 8, 2025) On February 24, 2025 this organization committed to rebuilding 100 housing units in the Gaza Strip, at a total cost of $400,000.[12] The Mauritanian Islamic Forum In November 2024 the Mauritanian Kunta tribe provided 20 million ouguiyas ($500,000) to the Hamas representative, in cooperation with the Mauritanian Islamic Forum, "for the benefit of the people of Gaza and as further aid for the resistance [i.e., Hamas' military wing]." The check bore the message "marking the anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood."[13] The donation provided by the Kunta tribe, in cooperation with the Mauritanian Islamic Forum, "for the benefit of the people of Gaza and as further aid for the resistance" (Image: November 2, 2024) In October 2024, Hamas official Osama Hamdan visited Mauritania and attended a conference of the Mauritanian Islamic Forum. In his speech at the conference he praised the "official and popular efforts in Mauritania" to aid Gaza and its people.[14] Ad by Mauritanian Islamic Forum calling to donate "to your brothers in northern Gaza" (Image: June 21, 2024)
