Şırnak Airport set to open in four months

ŞIRNAK - Anatolia News Agency

The Şırnak Airport under construction may enliven the regional trade with a 500,000 annual capacity. AA photo

A newly constructed airport in the southeastern province of Şırnak is scheduled to open in four months, Şırnak Gov. Vahdettin Özkan has said.

Presently, the closest airports to Şırnak are located in Diyarbakır and Mardin, about 300 kilometers away, making air travel a hassle for tourists and local residents. The airport is located 60 kilometers away from the city center.

“The Şırnak Airport will add dynamism to the faith and potential natural life of tourism in the region. It will also play an effective role in transportation between Turkey and the Middle East,” the governor said, adding that the airport cost 77 million Turkish Liras.

Vesi Demir, the representative of the contractor Doğusan Doğru, said the 3,600 meter-long runway is being built by international standards. The Şırnak Airport will be only 73 kilometers away from Iraq, Chairman of the Cizre Chamber of Commerce and Industry Adnan Elçi said. “Turkey’s annual exports to Iraq have reached $8 billion. Businessmen used to take long highway routes, however, they can now reach Şırnak from Istanbul in just two hours tim,” he said.