{
  "id": 18907574,
  "title": "Iraqi PM orders cancellation of three Mosul airport contracts over alleged militia links",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/iraqi-pm-orders-cancellation-of-three-mosul-airport-contracts-over-18907574",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-08T09:12:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/gulf/2026/11/08/iraqi-pm-orders-cancellation-of-three-mosul-airport-contracts-over-alleged-militia-links/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi has cancelled three airport contracts at Mosul International Airport due to alleged connections with armed groups, challenging the business ties of Iran-backed militias in northern Iraq. The decision was announced in Baghdad following a meeting with Nineveh Governor Abdul Qadir Al Dakhil and the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeal, Raid Hamid Al Musleh. Al Zaidi ordered the cancellation of the contracts for leasing counters, the car park, and the taxi office, opting instead to award them to international companies. The Ministry of Transport had previously contracted these firms without local government approval, and Nineveh authorities had previously objected to the deals. No specific armed groups were named in the statement. This move follows a series of conflicts between Al Zaidi and pro-Iranian militias, as the Prime Minister seeks to assert state authority over armed factions operating outside formal command structures. The cancellation of these contracts, which provide revenue and serve as a test of civilian control, is seen as an attempt to remove armed groups from the airport's economy. The decision also bolsters the Nineveh local government, which has long complained about ministries bypassing provincial authorities in contract awarding. The broader implications of this move remain unclear, including the response of the affected companies and the timeline for the tender process. The Prime Minister is using the Mosul Airport case to assert that state institutions, not armed groups, will control state facilities and their revenue, potentially escalating tensions with Kataib Hezbollah, which has accused the government of targeting resistance factions under US pressure.",
  "summary": "Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi has ordered the cancellation of three contracts at Mosul International Airport over alleged links to armed groups, in a direct challenge to the business networks of Iran-backed militias operating in northern Iraq. The decision was announced by Nineveh Governor Abdul Qadir Al Dakhil late on Saturday after a meeting in Baghdad with the Prime Minister, also attended…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}