BAGHDAD, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Tuesday lifted a ban on international flights to two airports in Erbil and Sulaimaniyah in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan.

A statement by his office said that Abadi signed a decree to lift the ban after receiving positive response from the Kurdish local authorities "to restore the federal authority in the two airports in accordance with the Constitution of Iraq."

Abadi made the announcement during his meeting with the officers of the regional Interior Ministry who are working at the two airports, the statement said.

A view of Haj Omran border between Iran and Kurdistan, Iraq October 14, 2017. (Photo: Reuters)