Iraq suspends some of domestic flights due to passing Russian missiles

Iraq suspends flights between its capital Baghdad to two northern cities due to military traffic from Russia’s missiles, launched from the Caspian Sea to target Daesh terrorists in Syria.

According to a statement released by the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority on Sunday, all domestic flights between the capital Baghdad and two northern cities of Erbil and Sulaimaniya would be suspended for “48 hours”, starting at 8:00 am local time (0500GMT) on Monday.

The decision was made “to protect travelers and because of the crossing of cruise missiles and bombers in the northern part of Iraq launched from the Caspian Sea,” the statement read.

Since last month, the Russian Navy has been launching dozens of cruise missiles at Takfiri targets in Syria, particularly positions belonging to the Daesh terrorist group, from its warships in the Caspian Sea waters. The missiles must pass northwestern parts of Iran and northern regions of Iraq, covering a distance of some 1,500 kilometers (900 miles), before they reach their targets in the Syrian soil.

Moscow began its military campaign against terrorists in Syria on September 30 upon a request from the Damascus government, shortly after the upper house of the Russian parliament gave President Vladimir Putin the mandate to use military force in Syria.

The crisis in Syria, which flared in March 2011, has claimed the lives of over 250,000 people so far and displaced nearly half of the country’s population of about 23 million.