Qatar working with Taliban to reopen Kabul airport

Turkey could be providing the potential technical support to restart operations at the airport…reports Asian Lite News

Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Thursday informed that the state is discussing with the Taliban to reopen Hamid Karzai International Airport.

Turkey could be providing the potential technical support to restart operations at the airport, Al Jazeera reported citing Abdulrahman Al Thani.

“We are working very hard (and) we remain hopeful that we will be able to operate it as soon as possible… Hopefully in the next few days, we will hear some good news,” the Qatari foreign minister said at a press conference with his British counterpart Dominic Raab in Doha.

Meanwhile, Raab also said that there is a need to engage with the Taliban in Afghanistan, but Britain has no immediate plans to recognise their government.

“UK is not going to recognise the Taliban anytime in the foreseeable future”, adding that he will judge Taliban by their actions, not by their words.

Raab arrived in Qatar on Thursday morning to discuss the Afghanistan situation with Qatar Foreign Minister in Doha.

In another recent development, Taliban Political office Deputy Head Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai on Wednesday met Turkey’s Ambassador to Qatar Mustafa Goksu at the Taliban’s office in Doha.

According to Taliban spokesperson Mohammad Naeem, Turkey’s Ambassador to Qatar Goksu promised that Turkey will continue its relations and cooperation with Afghanistan, reported TOLOnews.

The Taliban on Wednesday also informed that supreme leader Haibatullah Akhunzada will be the Head of the new Afghan government.

Reports also indicate that there will also be a Prime Minister post in the next government in Afghanistan, Tolo News reported.

Meanwhile, Ramiz Alakbarov, Deputy Special Representative and Humanitarian Coordinator in Afghanistan, stressed that while the UN remains “determined to deliver”, more funding is needed to reach millions who depend on aid to survive.

He reported that more than half of all under-fives are suffering from extreme malnutrition, and more than one-third of citizens are not getting enough to eat.

“It is extremely important that we prevent Afghanistan from descending into a further humanitarian catastrophe by taking the necessary steps to provide essential items which this country needs right now. And that is to support food, health and protection services, and non-food items, to those who are in extreme need,” Alakbarov said while speaking from the capital, Kabul.

In recent days, the UN has flown medical supplies into the Mazar-i-Sharif airport in northern Afghanistan, while some 600 metric tonnes of food were delivered by trucks coming over the border from Pakistan. (ANI/IANS)

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