Qatari aircraft carrying technical team said to land in Kabul airport

Duvar English 

A Qatari aircraft carrying a technical team on Sept. 1 landed in Kabul to discuss the resumption of airport operations after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, AFP reported, citing a source. 

"A Qatari jet carrying a technical team has landed in Kabul earlier today to discuss the resumption of operations in the airport," the source told AFP.

"While no final agreement has been reached regarding providing technical assistance, Qatar's technical team has initiated this discussion based on the other sides' request.

"Talks are still ongoing at the level of security and operation."

United States officials have said Kabul airport is in bad condition after the hasty evacuation efforts by foreign forces. 

The Taliban is in talks with Turkey and Qatar about the management of Kabul airport.

A Taliban spokesman told Reuters on Aug. 28 that "it is a bit too early to decided whether we will need Turkey or Qatar's help to operate Kabul airport."

Ankara said that last week's bombing at the airport underlined the need for a Turkish force to protect any experts deployed there.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Turkey has not made a final decision about operating the airport because of security concerns and that his country was "not in a rush to start flights" again to Kabul.

"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," Erdoğan said on Aug. 27. 

Turkish pro-government journalist Hande Fırat wrote last week that the Turkish Airlines or a private company might take on the operation of the Kabul airport if the security issue is tackled.