International flights resumed from Syria’s main airport in Damascus on Tuesday for the first time since rebels toppled president Bashar Al Assad last month.
A Syrian Airlines flight with 145 passengers left the capital at about 11.45am local time for Sharjah airport in the UAE, the first international commercial flight from Damascus since December 8, the official Sana news agency reported.
On December 18, a test flight that took off from Damascus landed in the northern city of Aleppo, marking the first journey by air in the country since the fall of the Assad regime. International aid planes and foreign diplomatic delegations have already been landing in Syria and domestic flights have also resumed.
Qatar Airways last week announced it would be resuming its route to the Syrian capital after nearly 13 years. A statement from the national airline based in Doha said it was "pleased to announce the resumption of three weekly flights to Damascus, Syria, from January 7, 2025”.
It hailed a “significant step in reconnecting the region”, almost a month after rebels led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham toppled Syria's long-time ruler, ending more than a decade of civil war.
“Qatar Airways is working closely with relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary safety, security and operational standards are met ahead of the relaunch,” the airline said.
Qatar was the second country, after Turkey, to reopen its embassy in Damascus after the overthrow of the Assad regime.
Doha was one of the main backers of the armed rebellion that erupted after Mr Al Assad's government crushed a peaceful uprising in 2011. Unlike several of its neighbours, Qatar remained a stern critic of Mr Al Assad and did not renew ties with Syria despite its return to the Arab diplomatic fold last year.