Karbala International Airport
Karbala International Airport () is an airport under development in Karbala Governorate, Iraq. It is located between the cities of Najaf and Karbala, about to the southeast of Karbala. It was expected to be Iraq's largest airport upon completion, and to receive an inaugural flight in July 2018, but has been affected by corruption. History and description. The foundation stone of Karbala International Airport was laid by Shaikh Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbala'i, a representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali as-Sistani, and Chief Cleric of Imam Husayn Holy Shrine, in January 2017. It is being constructed by the  United Kingdom's Copperchase Ltd., and designed by the French ADBI Company. At , the airport's runway is the longest of its kind in Iraq. According to Al-Karbala'i, it was not meant to compete with other airports, but only to serve pilgrims going to the Mosques of Imam Husayn and Abbas.