World

Syria says international flights to resume Tuesday

Syrians gather raising the country's flag, in Umayyad Square,in Damascus. — Reuters
 
Syrians gather raising the country's flag, in Umayyad Square,in Damascus. — Reuters
DAMASCUS: Syria said on Saturday the country's main airport in Damascus would resume international flights starting next week after such commercial trips were halted following last month's ousting of president Bashar al-Assad. 'We announce we will start receiving international flights to and from Damascus International Airport from' on Tuesday, state news agency SANA said, quoting Ashhad al-Salibi, who heads the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport. 'We reassure Arab and international airlines that we have begun the phase of rehabilitating the Aleppo and Damascus airports with our partners' help so that they can welcome flights from all over the world,' he said.

International aid planes and foreign diplomatic delegations have already been landing in Syria. Domestic flights have also resumed. Syrian Airlines will resume flights from Damascus to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, starting on Tuesday, an employee said. On Thursday, Qatar Airways announced it would resume flights to the Syrian capital after nearly 13 years, starting with three weekly flights from Tuesday. — AFP