ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - A week-long GPS disruption in Baghdad has created problems for flights and ground transportation, causing delays and canceled deliveries, while the government has yet to provide an official explanation.

The disruption has caused a negative impact on Baghdad International Airport operations but has not yet led to flight cancellations, Maysam Safi, spokesperson for Iraq’s transportation ministry, told The New Region on Wednesday.

“The system shutdown has created a negative impact on aviation trips, but it hasn't reached the point where flights are canceled because our teams were quickly able to find alternative routes to protect themselves from damage,” Safi said. 

The ministry has requested clarification from relevant parties regarding the source of the disruption.

The interference has also severely affected ground transport in the capital, impacting navigation services for taxis, public transit, and delivery companies across several districts, including the heavily secured Green Zone and parts of both Karkh and Rusafa.

Delivery workers in the affected areas reported that the disruption has severely impacted their work, with some reporting canceled deliveries and others being misdirected to the wrong addresses.

Omar Abdul Razzaq Musaheb, spokesperson for the communications ministry, denied to The New Region allegations that the ministry was responsible for the disruption and said an official statement would be issued on the matter soon.

A senior Iraqi military official offered a potential explanation, stating that from a military standpoint, such disruptions are often activated when a GPS-based “aerial security shield” is deployed to prevent potential threats or unidentified dangers.