First civilian flight lands at Qamishli Airport under SDF–Damascus deal

Shafaq News- Qamishli

A civilian aircraft landed at Qamishli International Airport in northeast Syria on Saturday, the first such arrival in more than a year after operations were suspended following the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

Shafaq News correspondent reported that the plane arrived from Damascus carrying technical teams and logistical equipment to prepare the airport for reopening.

A government source told our agency that authorities are working to restore the airport within one month, initially launching domestic flights between Damascus and Qamishli before expanding to international routes.

Qamishli Airport is the only airport located in areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led alliance backed by the United States. Civilian operations halted on December 8, 2024, following the collapse of al-Assad’s rule, while Russian military aircraft continued to use part of the facility as a base until withdrawing late last month.

The move forms part of steps to implement a January 30 agreement between the SDF and the Syrian government, which provides for the transfer of the airport and border crossings to state control and their operation by government authorities.