Flights into Iraq suspended

The crew emerged miraculously unscathed from the hit by the SA-7 ground-to-air missile after an emergency landing at Baghdad airport on Saturday.

But the attack prompted the now German-owned express courier to halt its service for at least 48 hours for a security review.

Tap Here to Add The Daily Star As A Trusted Source

Jordanian carrier Royal Wings, which runs the only civilian passenger service into the Iraqi capital, swiftly annnounced that it too was suspending its flights until at least Wednesday following the attack, which coincided with twin suicide bombings north of Baghdad that killed at least 18 people.

The threat from surface-to-air missiles, thousands of which fell into insurgents' hands after the collapse of Saddam Hussein's armed forces, has prevented the restoration of normal air links to Iraq ever since the US-led spring invasion, despite the presence of thousands of US troops at the airport, now a major military base.

Aircraft using the airport are obliged to corkscrew down onto the runway from high altitude for fear of being hit by the elusive insurgents who have dogged the US-led occupation.

"DHL has made the decision to suspend all flight operations to Iraq for at least the next 48 hours," company spokeswoman Patricia Thomson said in Brussels.

She said the company was reviewing the strike in coordination with the US military and the US-installed Iraqi authorities.

"Pending the findings of these investigations, as well as a full assessment of the security situation, DHL will then be in a better position to conduct a further review on how to continue any operations in Iraq," said Thomson.

Royal Jordanian, the parent company of Royal Wings, said it was halting its flights between Baghdad and Amman until at least Wednesday.

"After November 25, the company will decide if it will restart its flights to Baghdad or not," an official said.

The three-month-old service, which became daily this month, was open only to journalists, businessmen, aid workers, coalition officials and members of the interim Governing Council but provided an important link to the outside world as the coalition tries to rebuild the war-ravaged country.

The only alternative is the 10-12 hour road journey to the Jordanian or Syrian capitals, along a highway that is regularly targeted by robbers and is the scene of frequent roadside bombings on US troops.