Iraq reopens airspace at Baghdad, Kirkuk and Najaf after fog closure

BAGHDAD – Iraq’s Ministry of Transport said Thursday it has reopened the airspace at Baghdad, Kirkuk and Najaf international airports after dense fog and poor visibility earlier forced a suspension of operations.

Ministry spokesperson Maytham al-Safi told state-run Al-Iraqiya TV “airspace has been reopened at Baghdad, Kirkuk and Najaf international airports.” The announcement followed an earlier decision to keep airports in Baghdad and Najaf closed because of worsening fog, while “air traffic at Basra Airport continues.”

Baghdad International Airport had been temporarily closed to flights as visibility dropped, with the ministry saying operations would resume once weather conditions improved.

A low-pressure system moving across Iraq on Dec. 11 brought scattered thunderstorms, shifting cloud cover and pockets of dense fog, according to the General Authority for Meteorology. The agency forecast partly cloudy skies in central Iraq, with clouds thickening over northern and southern regions. Light to moderate rain was expected in several areas, with heavier showers accompanied by thunder and lightning in parts of western central Iraq and in eastern regions.

The authority also warned that moderate to dense fog would form during morning hours, reducing visibility before lifting near midday. Temperatures were expected to remain close to the previous day’s levels, while winds would stay light and variable before shifting to a light to moderate southeasterly flow at night. Visibility was forecast at 5 to 7 kilometers, dropping to 2 to 4 kilometers in heavier rain and below 1 kilometer in fog-prone areas.