Baghdad Airport has been shut down after its security workers went on strike, leaving government officials and civilian travelers stranded Saturday, an Iraqi Airways official said.

"The airport is blocked and even our staff from the Iraqi Airways are not allowed to enter," an official in the airways only named himself as Saud said.

Global Risk Strategies, a British security company, was negotiating with the government for money that have not been paid for their employees for several months, Saud said.

"We expect the strike will be over within a day," he added.

The company workers were working on the checkpoints outside the heavily fortified Baghdad Airport. They are also responsible for checking passengers, baggage screening at the airport.

Baghdad Airport has been closed several times in the recent weeks for sandstorms, which caused visibility problems and for security reasons, Saud said.

Source: Xinhua