Tunisia violates U N embargo, rushes aid to Iraq

Among the 60 people boarding the plane were doctors, Red Crescent officials and a soccer team, the official said.

Tunisia won approval for the flight from the U N Security Council’s Iraqi sanctions committee, created to monitor the bans after Baghdad invaded Kuwait in 1990, officials said.

Tunisia’s move follows those of three other Arab countries, Jordan, Yemen and Morocco, after U N approval.

Russia and France have already challenged the sanctions procedure by not waiting for authorisation from the committee before sending flights to Baghdad.

All the flights so far, carrying some medicine along with businessmen, politicians, officials or activists, are symbolic in lessening Iraq’s isolation by exploiting a loophole in a 1990 Security Council resolution for the first time in a decade.

Algeria and the United Arab Emirates plan flights to Iraq on Thursday.