Turkey has extended its flight ban on Sulaymaniyah International Airport for another three months, a source at the airport told Channel8.

The source said the airport was notified by email that the suspension will continue until October.

According to the source, the Kurdistan Regional Government, especially the Deputy Prime Minister, is making continuous efforts to resolve the issue.

Meanwhile, Karwan Yarwais, a member of the Iraqi parliament, told Channel8 earlier this month that an Iraqi parliamentary delegation met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara to discuss the restrictions on Sulaymaniyah International Airport, adding that during the meeting, “we conveyed the demands of the people of Sulaymaniyah” regarding the restrictions.

According to Ata Anwar, president of the Sulaymaniyah branch of tourism agencies and companies, 200 local businesses rely on Turkish flights, and the ban has cost them at least $1 million per month in ticket sales.

The Turkish aviation authorities initially closed their airspace to Sulaymaniyah Airport on April 3, 2023, and have extended the ban multiple times since. The most recent extension was earlier this year, with the ban set to last until July 6.