The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) officially announced the reopening of the country’s airspace and all commercial airports, effective immediately, in a major step toward normalizing national operations. 

The announcement was made by the head of the authority, Bengin Rekani, who confirmed in a statement received by IraqiNews that “airspace and all Iraqi airports will be opened starting today.” 

This decision marks the end of a weeks-long suspension that had effectively grounded commercial travel across the country as a precaution during the regional conflict. (Iraqi News)

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The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a group of militias in the country backed by Iran, has claimed responsibility for the downing of the U.S. aircraft while flying over Iraq.

The group confirmed the attack in a statement posted on its Telegram channel.

Providing an update on the attack, the U.S. military said Thursday that a KC-135 military refuelling plane was lost while flying over Iraq in an incident that was “not due to hostile or enemy fire.”

The U.S. Central Command said in a statement that the incident involved two aircraft and occurred in friendly airspace. One of the aircraft went down in western Iraq, and the second landed safely, it added.

“The incident occurred in friendly airspace during Operation Epic Fury, and rescue efforts are ongoing, the the U.S. Central Command said, referring to the war against Iran, which led to retaliatory strikes by Tehran across the Middle East.

It was unclear how many U.S. service members were on board the KC-135 refuelling aircraft that crashed.

This is the fourth reported aircraft loss since the Iran war started, after three F-15 fighters were shot down by friendly fire from Kuwait’s air defences.

The KC-135, which cost $39.6 million in 1998 according to the U.S. Air Force, is normally used to refuel other aircraft in mid-air. (Newswire/ CNBC)

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At least 60 people have been killed and several more are missing in a huge fire at a hypermarket in Kut city in eastern Iraq, the city’s health authorities and two police sources have told the Reuters news agency.

“We have compiled a list of 59 victims whose identities have been confirmed, but one body was so badly burned that it has been extremely difficult to identify,” a city health official told Reuters on Thursday.

“We have more bodies that have not been recovered, still under fire debris,” city official Ali al-Mayahi told Reuters.

Videos on social media showed flames engulfing a five-storey building in Kut overnight, where firefighters were trying to contain the fire.

The Wasjit province governor, Mohammed al-Mayahi, said the fire broke out in a hypermarket and a restaurant. Families were having dinner and shopping, he said. Firefighters rescued a number of people and put out the fire, the governor added.

Three days of mourning have been announced and an investigation has been launched. Investigation results will be released within 48 hours.

“A tragedy and a calamity have befallen us,” the governor said.

“We have filed lawsuits against the owner of the building and the mall,” INA quoted the governor as saying. (Al Jazeera)

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