Iraqi PM cancels Mosul airport contracts linked to armed groups

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Saturday ordered the cancellation of three commercial contracts at Mosul International Airport over the companies’ alleged links to armed groups, directing that the contracts be awarded to international firms, Iraqi state media reported. 

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), citing a source, Zaidi has directed “the cancellation of the contract of 'Sky Plus' company for leasing counters at Mosul Airport against the backdrop of its links to armed groups, and its referral to international companies."

The source told INA that the premier also ordered the termination of contracts with Sama al-Matar, which leased the airport's uncovered internal parking lot, and al-Faisal al-Shamekh, which leased the airport taxi office, over their affiliations with armed factions, referring both concessions to international firms.

The Prime Minister’s Office also said in a statement that Zaidi had also directed “the expediting of operations at Mosul International Airport through contracts with reputable, specialized international companies” to jointly operate and manage the facility, improve its performance, and strengthen its role in transportation and the economy.

The move comes as Baghdad seeks to disarm armed factions and avert potential international sanctions amid the regional conflict that erupted in late February. It also comes against the backdrop of ongoing tensions between the Iraqi government and pro-Iran armed groups over efforts to bring all weapons outside state control under government authority.

The government initially sought to resolve the disarmament issue by September 30, coinciding with the end of the United States-led coalition's military mission in Iraq, but later extended the deadline to June 30, 2027. Several Iran-backed factions have disputed the timetable, saying that no final agreement has been reached.

In an October interview with the state-run brodcaster Iraqi Media Network, Zaidi detailed the motivations behind his administration's push to curb the influence of armed groups, stating that "during the period we were tasked with forming the government, Iraq was on the verge of international isolation, a situation whose danger is understood by anyone who lived through the blockade before 2003 and the repercussions and suffering it entailed."


Under a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad, the US military formally ended its Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq on September 30, concluding a 12-year campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS) from within the country and shifting bilateral security cooperation to a new framework.

"The absence of foreign forces means the absence of the justification that was presented for carrying weapons outside the framework of the state," Zaidi said, emphasizing that "there is currently no American soldier in Iraq, neither within combat forces nor in the capacity of military advisors.”