Iraqi Move to Purge Mosul Airport: International Firms Replace Faction-Linked Companies

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi decided on Saturday to immediately cancel the contracts of three companies at Mosul International Airport,

due to their affiliation with entities and armed groups, and decided to assign projects and services to reliable international companies.

The Iraqi News Agency reported that Al-Zaidi's decision included cancelling the contract of "Sky Plus" company regarding the rental and management of airport counters, due to the company's link to armed groups, with the contract to be assigned to an international company.

The source indicated that Al-Zaidi also ordered the cancellation of the contract for renting the internal car garage in the airport with "Sama Al-Matar" company for the same reason, to be assigned to a global company. He also directed the cancellation of the contract for renting the taxi office in the airport with "Al-Faisal Al-Shamikh" company, due to its link to armed entities, and referred the service to specialized international companies in this field.

Al-Ain News learned that the armed groups intended by Al-Zaidi are Kata'ib Hezbollah Iraq and Al-Nujaba.

Mosul International Airport is one of Iraq's oldest airports, having suffered significant damage and widespread destruction of its infrastructure during the control of the terrorist ISIS organization over the city, then during its liberation operation in 2017.

Al-Zaidi had announced, during his visit to Mosul last month, official invitations to global companies specializing in airport management and operation to invest in Mosul International Airport and develop its services, in line with the historic legacy of Nineveh province.