The Syrian Civil Aviation Authority on Wednesday, February 25, began rehabilitation works at Qamishli International Airport in northeastern Syria, days after officially assuming its administration under an agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces, SDF.
The authority said the move aims to raise the airport’s technical readiness and restore it to full operational capacity, following its formal handover as part of the deal signed in January.
According to an official statement, specialized teams have started ground leveling works around the runway and aprons to ensure compliance with approved international standards, laying the groundwork for subsequent rehabilitation phases.
The work plan will be implemented in stages and includes upgrading infrastructure and operational facilities, with the goal of enhancing aviation safety and improving service efficiency, thereby restoring the airport’s vital role in connecting the region with other Syrian governorates.
The rehabilitation follows the authority’s receipt of the airport’s management on February 22, in line with provisions of the agreement signed last month between Damascus and the SDF.
The agreement stipulated a ceasefire and the launch of a phased integration process of military and administrative institutions, leading to the reestablishment of state institutions in al-Hasakah governorate and its surroundings.
Official Follow-Up on Implementation
Prior to the announcement of rehabilitation works, an official delegation arrived in al-Hasakah governorate, headed by presidential envoy Brigadier General Ziad al-Ayesh, to oversee the implementation of the agreement as part of ongoing military and administrative integration steps in northeastern Syria.
On February 8, a delegation from the Ministry of Interior, led by the head of Internal Security in al-Hasakah, Brigadier General Marwan al-Ali, and the director of Airport and Border Security, Colonel Ahmad al-Ahmad, held a meeting with SDF representatives to discuss mechanisms for transferring airport management and organizing related security and administrative aspects, including protection arrangements, flight operations, and border control.
These moves indicate an acceleration in implementing the agreement’s provisions, particularly regarding sovereign facilities, most notably the airport, which is considered one of the most strategic installations in al-Hasakah governorate.
Strategic and Economic Significance
Qamishli International Airport is located on the southern outskirts of Qamishli city in northeastern Syria. It began operating as a vital facility in the 1970s.
As economic and social needs developed in the oil and wheat-rich Jazira region, the airport underwent successive rehabilitation and expansion phases before being declared an “international airport” in 2003 to accommodate international flights and ease pressure on Damascus and Aleppo airports.
The airport’s strategic location near the Turkish border enhances its importance. It features a runway approximately 3,600 meters long, enabling it to receive various types of aircraft, including large cargo planes and military transport aircraft. Under normal conditions prior to the outbreak of the Syrian conflict in 2011, it had the capacity to handle hundreds of thousands of passengers annually.
Since then, the airport’s infrastructure has faced operational and security pressures amid the administrative and military fragmentation in al-Hasakah governorate and the multiplicity of authorities overseeing its key facilities. For extended periods, its operations were limited mainly to domestic flights, accompanied by tightened security measures.
Potential Regional Implications
The rehabilitation comes amid broader transformations in northeastern Syria, as military and administrative integration steps between the Syrian government and the SDF continue, covering service, security, and military institutions.
The handover of airport management is viewed as an indicator of a gradual transfer of sovereign files to state institutions, in line with the agreement’s provisions.
The SDF has not issued a detailed statement regarding the start of rehabilitation works. However, the transfer of management followed joint meetings and security and administrative understandings, according to official Syrian sources.
As the first phase of rehabilitation begins, residents are awaiting a clear timetable for completing subsequent stages and assessing their impact on air traffic and related services, while the region continues to witness accelerated field and administrative arrangements under the agreement concluded earlier this year.
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