Türkiye Halves Flight Ban on Sulaymaniyah Airport, Signalling Progress Towards Normalisation

PUKMEDIA

Sulaymaniyah International Airport.

Türkiye has reduced the duration of its sanctions on flights to and from Sulaymaniyah International Airport, halving the extension period from six months to three months, signaling progress towards lifting the ban.

Karwan Yarwais, a Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) lawmaker and member of the Iraqi Parliament’s Transportation Committee, told PUKMEDIA that the Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation has extended the closure of Turkish airspace to Sulaymaniyah flights for an additional three months. 

"This is a notable reduction compared to previous six-month extensions, reflecting ongoing efforts to normalise relations between the PUK and Türkiye," he said.

Yarwais highlighted that during a recent visit to Türkiye, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised to appoint a team to coordinate with the Kurdistan Region's Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani to assess the situation and facilitate normalisation.

Yarwais emphasised that the halving of the extension period is the first such reduction in two years and suggests a positive reassessment of the strained relations, which had been affected by various political and security concerns. 

He also noted that the ban is part of broader political issues between Türkiye and the PUK, and with improving ties and emerging peace processes in Türkiye, the ban may be lifted sooner than anticipated.

The Turkish flight ban on Sulaymaniyah International Airport was first imposed on 6 April 2023 and has been extended multiple times since, including on 13 January 2024, 22 June 2024, and 6 January 2025. The latest extension on 6 July 2025 is for three months, marking a significant reduction from previous six-month renewals. In total, flights have been banned for over two years, severely impacting regional connectivity and the local economy.

This development follows sustained diplomatic efforts, including visits by Iraqi parliamentary committees evaluating the airport’s status, which found no legal, technical, or security issues at the airport.

The reduction in the ban’s duration is viewed as a hopeful step towards restoring air traffic and improving bilateral relations between the PUK and Türkiye. 

Yarwais expressed optimism that with continued dialogue and coordination, the sanctions could be lifted entirely in the near future, stressing that the ban may even be lifted before the end of the three month period.



PUKMEDIA