Airlines begin suspending flights to Baghdad over security concerns

Jordan's Royal Jordanian airlines and Bahrain's Gulf Air have suspended all flights to Baghdad, the two airlines announced in statements on Friday, citing security concerns.  

Gulf Air also suspended flights to and from Iraq's Najaf International Airport, located about two and a half hours south of Baghdad. 

Both operators said the flights will be suspended "until further notice".

A Qatar Airways spokesman said the airline was still flying to Baghdad "with caution". 

"If any slight change we may cancel - slight change meaning escalation," he said, according to AFP.