Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq on Wednesday postponed the opening of Mosul International Airport due to several unresolved requirements, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) stated.

The CAA revealed that among the incomplete requirements are the failure to appoint a structural auditing consultant for the project, which it described as a key condition for completing technical review and certification procedures. The authority also pointed to the unresolved issue of selecting an airport operator, with no final decision made on whether the Ministry of Transport, the local government, or another entity will run the facility.

Additionally, approach and departure procedures required for aircraft landings and takeoffs have not yet been finalized, a key technical requirement for ensuring air traffic safety.

About the Airport

ISIS seized Mosul in June 2014 and destroyed the airport's main passenger terminal, control tower, and fire stations. Trenches were dug across the runways and debris scattered to deny Iraqi forces use of the site; clearance of explosive devices and landmines took approximately 18 months, concluding in 2019. Iraqi forces drove ISIS from the city in July 2017 after a months-long urban battle that left large parts of Mosul in ruins.

Reconstruction began in August 2022 under then-Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani formally inaugurated the facility on July 16, 2025, with a runway extended to 3,000 meters to accommodate large commercial aircraft and a stated annual capacity of 630,000 passengers and 30,000 tons of cargo.

Domestic flights commenced on November 6, 2025. The airport's first international flight since reopening departed January 26, 2026, carrying 157 Umrah pilgrims from Nineveh to Medina.

Read more: Mosul airport still grounded by red tape, MPs say