Iraq: EgyptAir suspends flights to Baghdad January 8-10 /update 2

Event

EgyptAir announced that all flights to Baghdad would be suspended from Wednesday, January 8, through Friday, January 10, due to the security situation in Baghdad and at Baghdad International Airport (BGW). This follows an earlier announcement from Bahrain's Gulf Air that all flights to and from the Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Najaf would be suspended as of Friday, January 3, until further notice.

On Tuesday, January 7, Royal Jordanian Airlines resumed flights between Amman and Baghdad after briefly suspending them on January 3 due to security concerns. Royal Jordanian flights to other Iraqi cities, including Basra, Erbil, Najaf, and Sulaymaniyah, will continue to operate as scheduled.

Further flight cancelations are possible over the near term.

Context

The US Department of Defense released a statement on January 3 claiming responsibility for an airstrike targeting Qasem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Quds Force, near Baghdad International Airport (BGW). According to the statement, Soleimani was "actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region." Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the deputy commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), was also killed in the strike.

Advice

Individuals flying via the abovementioned airlines are advised to monitor the situation and confirm flight reservations.

The security environment in Iraq remains complex. Professional security advice and support should be sought prior to all travel.