WAR: Baghdad Airport Closed Indefinitely -- PM Office, page 1

posted on Nov, 14 2004 @ 02:24 AM

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The interim Iraqi government has closed Baghdad International airport indefinitely. This extension comes on the heels of the week long closure implemented under emergency rule that was declared prior to the Fallujah offensive. The closure applies to civilian traffic and military flights will continue.

story.news.yahoo.com
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's interim government extended the closure of Baghdad international airport indefinitely on Saturday under emergency rule imposed ahead of this week's U.S.-led offensive on Falluja.

"It is closed until further notice," an official in Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's office said.

Allawi first closed the airport last Sunday ahead of the start of the assault on the rebel city of Falluja on Monday. The closure, which applies to civilian traffic only, was to have been in place for a few days only.

Royal Jordanian, one of two commercial airlines operating out of Baghdad airport, stopped taking bookings this week.

But the government on Saturday reopened two border crossings with Syria and Jordan for festivities marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Those borders had been sealed to all but essential traffic as part of the 60-day state of emergency in place across the whole of Iraq except the Kurdish north.

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This is not a surprising move given the general state of unrest. Also, several planes have been hit using the airport by man portable SAMS�s and RPG�s. However, it is concerning that they do not appear to have control over even airport approaches in the city. It remains to be seen when the airport will reopen to civilian traffic, but I cannot imagine that Baghdad was high on anyone�s vacation list.

Amuk

posted on Nov, 14 2004 @ 02:26 AM

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DARN

There goes my vacation plans

I heard almost any American can be a movie star there

FredT

posted on Nov, 14 2004 @ 02:27 AM

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Yeah, I don't think any Restaurant in Bahgdad has a Zagat rating yet either

Amuk

posted on Nov, 14 2004 @ 02:30 AM

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Its the only place I can afford to go to. I have heard the fireworks display is fantastic