By Laith Al-Jnaidi
AMMAN, Jordan (AA) - Iraq suspended flights with the Lebanese capital Beirut on Sunday following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria.
In a statement, the Iraqi Transport Ministry said the flights between Baghdad and Beirut were suspended temporarily to safeguard the well-being of travelers.
The decision also includes humanitarian flights for Lebanese citizens wishing to return to their country, the ministry said.
Assad fled Syria to an unknown location after anti-regime groups took control of the capital Damascus early Sunday, marking the collapse of the Baath Party regime, which had been in power in Syria since 1963.
It came almost a week after anti-regime groups seized control of Aleppo, a major city in northern Syria.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi in Ankara