Syria's main airport in its capital of Damascus will reopen for international flights for the first time since the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime next week, the country's new government announced on Saturday.
The airport’s reopening, which was targeted multiple times by Israel according to foreign reports, is seen as an attempt by Jihadist rebel leader and de facto authority in Syria Ahmad al-Sharaa (formerly Abu Mohammed al-Golani), to project stability.
"We assure Arab and international airlines that we've begun the reconstruction of the airports in Aleppo and Damascus with the help of our partners so they can receive aircraft from around the world," state news agency SANA cited Syria's Civil Aviation Authority head as saying.
International aid planes have already landed in Syria since the coup and domestic flights within the country have resumed. According to the AFP news agency, the first flight since Assad's escape occurred on December 18, when a plane flew from Damascus Airport to Aleppo.
Qatar Airways was quick to announce its return to flying to Syria for the first time in 13 years. Meanwhile, Egypt's Foreign Ministry reported that an Egyptian cargo plane landed at Damascus Airport on Saturday, delivering humanitarian aid from Cairo to Syria for the first time since Assad's ousting.
The plane carried 15 tons of supplies and food as part of Egypt's "commitment to support our brothers, the Syrian people."
The shipment, provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent Society, was handed over to its Syrian partners and included tents, blankets, food and medical supplies. Last week, Saudi Arabia launched a "humanitarian airlift" effort to Syria, delivering food, tents and medical equipment.
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Syria has suffered from a series of international sanctions imposed on Assad's regime since the outbreak of the civil war in 2011, following his suppression of protests in the country.