Royal Jordanian suspends Baghdad flights over security fears
02 Aug 201418:04 PM
Royal Jordanian suspends Baghdad flights over security fears
Jordan's national carrier Saturday suspended flights to the Iraqi capital for security reasons, an airline official told AFP.

"Royal Jordanian suspended its flights to Baghdad today because of the security situation," said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The airline was closely monitoring developments in Iraq and may extend the suspension of flights, added the source.

Islamic State fighters killed 16 Kurdish troops in attacks in northern Iraq, while 30 pro-government forces died in clashes with the jihadists on other frontlines, Iraqi officials said on Saturday.

The jihadist group, which had already seized large swaths of Syria, launched a blistering offensive on June 9 that saw them capture Mosul, Iraq's second city, and move into much of the country's Sunni heartland.

Royal Jordanian has 30 scheduled flights a week to Iraq, mainly to Baghdad and also to Irbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region in the north.