Afghanistan’s Jalalabad airport is set to reopen domestic and international flights, local media said on Saturday, citing state officials. The airport was abandoned for about 3 months after American troops returned from the country.
For the past 20 years, the airport served as a military base for US troops and no civilian flights were allowed from here. Provincial residents praised the airport’s reopening for civilian flights.
Technical staff were called back on duty. The acting director of the airport, Spin Ghar Shahzad, was quoted by Tolo News as saying, “We have all the capabilities for technical activity. All technical staff are present. You’ll see the flights.”
“We assure the citizens and the world that Nangarhar (Jalalabad) airport is fully ready for flights,” said Sheikh Neda Ahmed, head of Nangarhar’s security department.
“Earlier, we were obliged to send our crops from Nangarhar to the capital Kabul. And from there the crops would be exported abroad. Now we will have direct flights from Nangarhar to China,” Tolo News quoted Haji Zalmay, a trader. Said to. as saying.
Resident Abdullah said, “Reopening the airport in Nangarhar is a good step. International flights will be operated from here. This will bring good profits to Nangarhar.”
Tolo News reported that officials said an Iranian plane carrying humanitarian aid would land at the airport in the near future.
The Taliban entered Kabul on 15 August, forcing the US-backed government to step down. Later in September, the organization announced the formation of Afghanistan’s new interim government.
The country is currently grappling with a deepening economic, humanitarian and security crisis following the takeover of the Taliban. The international community, from governments to non-governmental organizations, has been providing various aids to the Afghan people.
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