Baghdad International Airport Closed

BAGHDAD: Baghdad International Airport was closed on Wednesday morning for unspecified reasons, airport checkpoint staff and officials said.

Staff controlling checkpoints refused entry to all passengers and were only allowing airport staff through security checks.

Security and airline officials gave differing accounts for the reasons behind the closure.

A spokesman for Iraqi Airways said the airport was closed for “technical reasons” without elaborating, and said it would be re-opened in the afternoon.

An official in Baghdad airport’s operations room, however, put the closure down to “security reasons”, again without giving details, and said it would re-open at 3:00 pm (1200 GMT).

Baghdad has been hit by two sets of apparently co-ordinated bombings since Sunday, killing more than 60 people in total and wounding more than 300.

The US military, which has a large base adjacent to the airport, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.