Shafaq News / Najaf Governorate announced on Monday, that it will prevent entry of returning Iraqis from outside the country to Najaf.

Najaf governor, Luay al-Yasiri directed the external checkpoints spread within the administrative borders of the governorate to prevent the entry of the returning Iraqis from outside Iraq to Najaf through Baghdad International Airport and subject them to quarantine immediately.

Najaf decision comes in conjunction with the announcement of the Iraqi Ministry of Transport on Monday, with the launching of the last two flights of the Iraqi Airways within the schedule of flights to Egypt to evacuate the citizens stuck there.

The ministry said in a statement that four planes from the Iraqi fleet are now flying to return the Iraqis stuck in (Malaysia / Jeddah / Egypt)

The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced on Friday evening stoping the suspension of extraordinary flights by opening Iraqi airspace and airports to return Iraqis stuck abroad to the country.

The Director General of the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority, Dureid Yahya Jasim said in an interview reported to Shafaq News, that the approval came in accordance with the decisions of the Supreme Committee for Health and National Safety in accordance with the recommendations of the Iraqi Ministry of Health in light of the mechanism of dealing with Iraqis returning to the homeland during COVID-19 epidemic period.

He explained that "there are efforts and actions being made to prepare the basic requirements for the return of Iraqis abroad according to specific times by coordinating work roles with the relevant authorities, especially with the ministries of health and foreign affairs, as well as with the Ministry of Transport for the purpose of preparing numbers and schedules of flights for them."

He added, "The returning Iraqis will also be subjected to the necessary medical tests and quarantines for them in order to ensure their safety from     Corona virus by the specialized committees of the Ministry of Health present in all Iraqi airports. These steps come to prevent the exacerbation of the epidemic crisis in Iraq."