Kabul airport opens for flights to receive aid, but full ops to take more time

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A technical team was able to reopen the Kabul airport to receive aid on Saturday as  efforts are on to prepare the facility for civilian flights, Qatar's Ambassador to Afghanistan Saeed bin Mubarak Al-Khayarin Al-Hajar said in a statement.</p>
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Two domestic flights flew from Kabul to the cities of Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar, bin Mubarak Al-Khayarin Al-Hajar confirmed.</p>
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A team of Qatari technicians are carrying out repairs at the airport, which could start receiving flights in the coming days, the statement said.</p>
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The airport has been closed since the last American troops left at midnight just ahead of the August 31.</p>
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<strong>Also read:</strong>  <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/world-news/turkey-says-calm-must-return-to-kabul-for-final-decision-on-operating-civilian-flights-110750.html">Turkey says calm must return to Kabul for final decision on operating civilian flights</a></p>
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Efforts to reopen Kabul airport had started with a team of Qatari technical experts arriving in Afghanistan’s capital on Wednesday.</p>
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The technical team travelled to Kabul on a Qatari jet at the request of the Taliban.</p>
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The Taliban is keen to resume flights from the Kabul airport for desperately needed humanitarian assistance to flow in and freedom of movement.</p>
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Qatar has emerged as a key player in the region ever since it brokered the peace talks between the Taliban and the USA. </p>
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The Taliban were earlier in touch with Turkey to get the airport up and running, but after the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport, the Turkish authorities went into wait-and watch mode.</p>
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Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan had said on Friday that calm should be restored in Kabul before a decision can be made on running the airport for civilian flights.</p>
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"The Taliban have made a request regarding the operation of the Kabul airport. They say, 'We'll ensure security and you can operate it'. But we have not made a decision yet because there is always a possibility of death and such things there," Erdogan had said at a news conference in Istanbul.</p>
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The French government is also reported to be in touch with the Taliban for the evacuation of some people that have been left behind in Afghanistan.</p>
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Afghanistan is heavily dependent on foreign aid, and the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have already been finding it difficult to get crucial food and medical supplies to the airport while the US-led mass evacuation was in progress. Restarting commercial flights will also be crucial for people still wanting to leave the country but who did not make it onto military evacuation planes.</p>
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With the withdrawal of the US, American civil aircraft are barred from operating over the country unless given prior authorisation, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).</p>