Doha:
Qatar stated Thursday it is working with the Taliban to immediately reopen Kabul’s airport, whose closure because the departure of US troops could pose significant strategic and humanitarian challenges.
A jet from the Gulf nation was the very first foreign aircraft to land in the Afghan capital on Wednesday because frenzied evacuations ended a day earlier with the American withdrawal.
A flight from Doha then landed in Kabul on Thursday, carrying authorities who will examine safety and operational elements pertaining to the airport, according to a supply close to the matter.
Doha, a significant transit point for Afghan refugees, stated it was working challenging to swiftly resume operations.
“We remain hopeful that we will be able to operate it as soon as possible,” stated Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, whose nation has close contacts with the Taliban which assumed manage of Kabul on August 15.
“It’s very important… that the Taliban demonstrate their commitment to provide safe passage and freedom of movement for the people of Afghanistan,” stated Sheikh Mohammed.
“Hopefully in the next few days we will hear some good news,” he added.
Sheikh Mohammed stated discussions about reopening the airport also integrated Turkey, which he hoped could provide technical help.
Turkey stated Thursday it was “evaluating” proposals from the Taliban and other individuals on the airport, with Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu saying safety “inside and outside” the facility remained the best priority.
An Afghan civil aviation official told Qatar-owned Al-Jazeera that Kabul will start airport operations “soon”.
“Domestic flights will begin tomorrow (Friday), as for international, it’ll take time,” he stated.
– Vulnerable to attack –
Doha, exactly where the Taliban has a political workplace, has in current months hosted a flurry of talks involving the US, Taliban and the former Afghan government.
The wealthy nation sent a Boeing C-17 Globemaster carrying a technical group, with the challenge to place in a spot a crew to assist the Taliban run airport facilities.
The airport, with a single runway, is positioned only 5 kilometres (3 miles) from downtown Kabul — forcing planes to go into a holding pattern more than the city if they can’t land promptly.
It has also been vulnerable to attacks, such as on August 26, when a suicide bombing claimed by the ISIS terrorist group — an opponent of the Taliban regime — killed more than one hundred Afghans and 13 US soldiers.
But the Taliban, which returned to energy 20 years soon after becoming ousted by American troops, now has its back against the wall and have to get the nation and its infrastructure up and operating.
The Taliban’s return to energy soon after its very first stint involving 1996 and 2001, when US troops invaded the nation following the 9/11 attacks for harbouring Al-Qaeda, has led to mass evacuations of foreigners and Afghans fearing reprisal.
Reopening the airport has been addressed by a host of Western officials who have visited Qatar this week, which includes the German, Dutch and British foreign ministers.
Italy’s foreign minister is anticipated in Doha on Sunday.
On Thursday, British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab stated his nation has evacuated some 17,000 British and Afghan nationals because April, reiterating that these left behind — which includes these most at danger — can travel to the UK.
“That’s why we watch with great interest what may be possible at Kabul airport,” he stated.
()