Baghdad's international airport was closed on Wednesday due to a technical problem with its radar system, an official said.

Incoming and outgoing flights at Iraq's main airport were delayed until at least 3pm local time.

Aqil Kawther, a spokesman for the Ministry of Transport, said the closure was not related to security. In recent days the Iraqi capital has been hit by a series of bombings and other attacks that killed more than 100 people.

'The airport is closed because there is a problem in the radar system,' Kawther said.
'Until this is fixed, the airport will be closed.'

Baghdad International Airport serves state-run Iraqi Airways, Royal Jordanian, Gulf Air, Middle East and other airlines, with flights to and from Amman, Damascus, Beirut, Istanbul and other cities, as well as internal routes.

The closure would affect about a dozen flights, officials said.-Reuters