The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Thursday in an official statement warned Turkish citizens in Northern Iraq to “leave the region before the flights are suspended.”
The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday also issued a travel warning for Turkish citizens planning to travel to Dohuk, Erbil and Sulaymaniyah and for those who are already in these cities regarding possible security risks caused by the illegitimate referendum held in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Monday. The ministry called on the KRG to hand over the control of all border gates and airports to the central Iraqi government.
On Wednesday, Egypt’s national air carrier announced that as of Friday, it would suspend all flights to Erbil.
Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines, too, announced plans to halt all flights -- also starting Friday -- both to and from northern Iraq’s Kurdish region.
Monday’s controversial referendum faced opposition from most international actors – including Turkey, the U.S., Iran, and the UN -- many warning that the poll would further destabilize the region and distract from the ongoing fight against Daesh.
