Shafaq News/ Air travel in Iraq will remain unaffected by the nationwide curfew scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday during the country's census, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) confirmed on Sunday.

“The Civil Aviation Authority has issued a directive to all airlines operating in Iraq, notifying them that air traffic is exempt from the comprehensive curfew during the census on Wednesday and Thursday,” a source within the ICAA told Shafaq News.

The source added that travelers heading to airports must present their flight tickets to security authorities while arriving passengers are required to retain their boarding passes for verification. “This procedure has been communicated to all relevant authorities to ensure smooth operations,” the source stated.

The census, set for November 20-21, the first of its kind since 1997, aims to provide a comprehensive population count across Iraq, including disputed regions. Iraq's Ministry of Planning estimated in 2022 that the country’s population had reached over 42 million.