Egypt airport bars Iraqi family from flying to U.S. over Trump's entry ban

The Egyptian airport authorities barred an Iraqi family from flying to the United States on Saturday, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered restriction of visitors from seven Muslim countries, according to an airport source.

"As per a request from the American authorities, EgyptAir as a carrier provides a list of those seeking to travel to the United States and the American side decides accordingly," the source at Cairo International Airport told Xinhua, adding that it's a procedure applied all over the world.

He said the decision to prevent the Iraqi couple and their two children from flying to the United States "is made by the U.S. authorities according to the list."

On Friday, new U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order to suspend the entry of travellers from seven Muslim countries: Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Somalia and Iran.

The Egyptian authorities have not yet received any new relevant instructions, but they keep sending the list of travellers before a flight to the U.S. takes off, according to the source.

The relations between Egypt and the United States are expected to improve under Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump, as both leaders have exchanged praise and promises of mutual support and share similar views on various issues including fighting terrorism. Endit