Fuel pricing dispute halts flights at Najaf Airport

Shafaq News- Najaf

A dispute linked to factions affiliated with Ammar al-Hakim’s National Wisdom Movement (Al-Hikma) and the State of Law Coalition has disrupted flight operations at Najaf International Airport, amid disagreements over aviation fuel pricing and supply mechanisms, officials and sources told Shafaq News.

In a statement on Saturday, MP Mustafa Sanad said a service company previously operating at the airport had overseen ground operations, including aircraft refueling. He explained that the firm received aviation fuel from the Oil Products Distribution Company at $0.90 per liter and resold it to Iraqi Airways with an added margin.

After the contract expired, the Distribution Company began selling fuel directly to the airline at $1 per liter —a $0.10 increase— a move that, according to Sanad, triggered a dispute between the airport administration and Najaf’s provincial council on one side and the Distribution Company on the other.

Meanwhile, the state-run distribution firm said it was ready to supply all airlines operating at Najaf Airport, adding that its vehicles moved to deliver fuel but were prevented from operating by the provincial council, which it accused of obstructing the country’s exclusive fuel marketer and contributing to the flight disruptions.

No official statement has yet been issued by the airport's authorities.

Earlier on Friday, several Iraqi travel agencies reported the suspension of flights from Najaf, also attributing the disruption to fuel shortages. A well-informed source said the standoff stems from disagreements over a fuel supply contract nearing expiration and could lead to a broader halt in operations. He added that the company currently supplying aviation fuel is affiliated with figures linked to the State of Law Coalition, while the head of the Distribution Company is associated with the National Wisdom Movement (Al-Hikma).