Several government travel advisories have placed Iraq under a "Do Not Travel" warning.
Photo © Getty Images/Jasmin Merdan
Warning: this destination is considered very high risk and many governments advise their citizens not to travel to large parts of the country.
Commercial airlines canceling or diverting flights in Middle East - 8 January 2020
On Jan 7, Iran launched missile attacks on US military bases in Iraq, leading some major airlines to cancel and reroute flights to avoid the airspace above Iraq and Iran. The US Federal Aviation Agency has restricted commercial US flights "from operating in the airspace over Iraq, Iran, and the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman."
This situation may change, as Iran has announced this morning that they will not seek escalation. Travelers should stay in touch with their airline regarding canceled or rerouted flights, and follow news reports for updates.
The situation following U.S. airstrike in Baghdad - 3 January 2020
The US State Department is urging American citizens to leave Iraq immediately, following the airstrike which killed Qasem Soleimani, one of Iran's most senior military commanders.
Check your government's advice for travel to Iraq. Several foreign governments have clearly advised on their websites do not travel to Iraq or reconsider all unnecessary travel including Iraqi Kurdistan.
Travel to this destination against government advice has implications for your travel insurance and you should read and understand your policy documents thoroughly if you are considering travel to this destination. If you are a World Nomads policy holder and unsure as to how it will affect you, please contact our 24/7 Worldwide Emergency Assistance. as for some travelers, even the warning of "reconsider your need to travel" is enough for it to impact your travel insurance.
If you go anyway and get into trouble, it may be impossible for your insurer to provide emergency assistance, and consular officials from your own country may be severely limited in the assistance they can give. We care about your personal safety and wellbeing, please heed all government-issued travel warnings.
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