Iraq opens new air corridor linking Turkish and Saudi airspace via Syria

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq has launched a new air corridor connecting Turkish and Saudi Arabian airspace through a short transit across Syrian airspace, according to a Baghdad-based source. The route was activated on Thursday evening, and airlines have begun using the new path, the source said. The announcement followed months of coordination between Iraqi air navigation authorities and their counterparts in neighboring countries. An Iraqi official said the corridor is designed to increase transit traffic and shorten flight times between the two destinations. Officials described the route as the first phase of a broader plan to expand Iraq's air corridor network. Additional corridors are expected to be opened in the coming period, though further details on the timeline and specific routes were not immediately available.