As Kabul airport reopens, which the Taliban claim, is their high priority concern as the airport is a vital lifeline with both the outside world and across Afghanistan’s mountainous territory. The group added that this move has brought some normalcy in Kabul since their lightening seizure of the capital on Aug 15.
Qatar’s ambassador to Afghanistan said a through a technical team, Kabul airport reopens to receive aid, something that is a need of an hour. According to Al Jazeera, as Kabul airport reopens, domestic flights had resumed.
Read more: Erdogan: Turkey to retain presence at Kabul airport with Qatar
Kabul airport reopens and domestic flights resume
Ariana Afghan Airlines restarted some flights in Afghanistan between Kabul and three major provincial cities on Saturday, after a technical team from Qatar reopened the capital’s airport for aid and domestic services.
Flights between Kabul and the western city of Herat, Mazar-i Sharif in northern Afghanistan and Kandahar in the south have started, the airline said in a statement on its Facebook page.
“Ariana Afghan Airlines is proud to resume its domestic flights,” it said.
Kabul airport reopens to receive aid, domestic flights restart https://t.co/tBsle9Sdyq pic.twitter.com/MOXxbE9i5R
— Reuters (@Reuters) September 4, 2021
Read more: Kabul airport is now operational: US general
Kabul airport reopens to restore order
The airport has been closed since the United States on Aug. 30 completed U.S-led evacuations of more than 120,000 U.S. citizens, other foreigners and Afghans deemed at risk from the Taliban, and withdrew the last of its troops.
The Taliban’s main spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, also said one of the main foreign exchange dealers in Kabul had reopened.
Afghanistan’s economy has been thrown into disarray by the Taliban’s takeover. Many banks are closed and cash is scarce.
Kabul airport reopens to facilitate “conditional” humanitarian aid
The United Nations said it will convene an international aid conference on Sept. 13 to help avert what U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres called a looming humanitarian catastrophe.
Western powers say they are prepared to engage with the Taliban and send humanitarian aid, but that formal recognition of the government and broader economic assistance will depend on action – not just promises – to safeguard human rights.
Read more: UN chief to host Afghanistan aid meeting in Geneva
Afghan “inclusive government” to be announced next week
A Taliban source said the announcement of a new government would be pushed back to next week.
Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, reported by some Taliban sources to be in line to lead the new government, told Al-Jazeera that the new administration will include all factions of Afghans.
Read more: Afghanistan: Taliban-led government just around the corner