Iraq's Kurdistan urges action on flight ban

IRBIL, Nov 20 (KUNA) -- Iraqi Kurdistan's regional government has piled pressure on the international community to ensure that a flight ban imposed by Baghdad on the autonomous region is lifted.
In a statement released by the Kurdish government on Monday, Irbil described Baghdad's policies and actions as infractions of international and humanitarian laws.
Meanwhile, the statement stressed that the flight ban encumbers efforts to provide much needed aid to more than 1.5 million displaced people residing in Kurdistan, especially as temperatures plummet to single digits.
On September 25, Iraqi Kurdistan went through with a referendum to secede from Iraq despite vehement opposition from the international community.
In return, Baghdad introduced a raft of retaliatory measures against Irbil, including a ban on all international flights to and from Kurdistan, plunging the nation into upheaval. (end) sbr.nam