Shafaq News – Baghdad

Mosul Airport will launch on November 1, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani declared on Sunday.

A statement from the PM’s media office confirmed that the airport will initially operate domestic flights only, linking Mosul with other Iraqi airports, while negotiations continue with a company to oversee full operations.

As the airport administration finalizes the requirements for an operating license from the Civil Aviation Authority, it will manage domestic flights independently.

“The Ministry of Transport is also in the final stages of discussions with international companies to prepare the airport for international flights,” the statement highlighted.

The airport, destroyed during the 2017 battle to retake Mosul, has been under reconstruction since August 2022, when then-Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi launched the project.

The most recent upgrade extended the runway by 350 meters, bringing its total length to 3,000 meters and width to 45 meters, enabling the airport to accommodate large commercial aircraft. It is expected to handle 630,000 passengers and 30,000 tons of cargo annually.