ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi transport ministry’s authority has announced that Mosul International Airport will begin operations for domestic flights on Thursday, following its inauguration in mid-July and an 11-year closure after its capture by the Islamic State (ISIS).
The state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) on Tuesday quoted Iraqi Transport Minister Razzaq al-Saadawi as directing that Mosul International Airport “commence operations for domestic flights” on Thursday, amid “preparations to launch international flights soon."
The agency further cited Hussein al-Zubaidi, director of the General Company for Airports and Air Navigation Administration (GCAAN) - an affiliate of the transport ministry - said the airport “is ready and complete from all technical and logistical aspects, including navigation equipment and passenger service buildings.”
He added that the facility was rehabilitated “in line with international standards, using systems sourced from reputable suppliers,” and “underwent a series of tests supervised by specialized committees that confirmed its readiness and compliance with safety requirements.”
Zubaidi further noted that “coordination is underway” with the national carrier, Iraqi Airways, to “operate domestic flights according to the company's schedules, in preparation for the launch of international flights in the near future."
In early August, the airport’s director told Rudaw that final steps were being taken to obtain an operational license from the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA).
“We have an integrated program for the preparation, landing, and takeoff of aircraft, and for receiving passengers,” Ammar Khader said, adding that the airport’s communication and fire-fighting systems must first be inspected by a “reputable international company” before flights can commence.
He then noted that the remaining legal and administrative procedures are being fast-tracked to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani’s mid-July directive to open the airport within two months.
Sudani had officially inaugurated Mosul International Airport on July 16, coinciding with the anniversary of the city’s liberation from the Islamic State (ISIS). Earlier in June, an aircraft successfully completed the first test landing at the airport in over a decade.
Mosul, the capital of Nineveh province in northern Iraq, was seized by ISIS in June 2014 during the group’s rapid expansion across Iraq and Syria. It was declared the capital of ISIS’s so-called caliphate.
The battle to retake the city began in October 2016, led by Iraqi forces with support from the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Kurdish Peshmerga forces played a key role in securing the city’s eastern and northern flanks, cutting off supply routes and clearing surrounding areas.
Mosul International Airport was retaken in February 2017, and the city was officially declared liberated on July 10 of the same year. However, the airport sustained extensive damage during the conflict. Reconstruction began in August 2022 with a budget of around 200 billion Iraqi dinars (around $142.8 million).
The newly rebuilt airport features a main terminal hall, VIP lounge, modern radar systems, and a 3,000-meter runway. It is expected to handle up to 630,000 passengers and 30,000 tons of cargo annually, making it a key driver of Nineveh’s post-war economic recovery.