A Qatari official stated on Thursday that Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport is around 90 percent ready and would reopen gradually.
After meeting with Taliban Spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid in Kabul, Qatar’s Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Counterterrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution, Mutlaq bin Majed Al Qahtani, announced the airport’s reopening.
According to reports, another Qatari official addressing to journalists claimed that a flight would be available on Friday.
The first international commercial aircraft from Doha arrived in Kabul on Thursday, indicating a return to normalcy at the airport for the first time since the troop pullout deadline of August 31.
“For the first time, international flights will be coming from Doha to Kabul,” Al Qahtani told.
According to Taliban officials and foreign technical teams at the Hamid Karzai International Airport, the airport has been operational for international flights since Thursday, according to Afghan news sources.
According to the article, the damages the teams had to repair at the airport were at least $20 million, and the US marines were accused of damaging the facility. Qatar also provided the airport with huge screens, computers, scanners, and other technical equipment.
Following a request from the Taliban to repair damages at the airport and make it safe for flight again, Qatari and technical teams arrived in Afghanistan.
Following conversations with the Taliban to guarantee the airport is open for humanitarian supplies, Qatar has been shipping batches of aid to Kabul to help alleviate food security worries.
