The Taliban are in negotiations with Qatar and Turkey about managing Kabul airport, which presently lacks air traffic control services due to the withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan.
According to French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, the negotiations are focused at securing the airport as quickly as possible so that individuals who wish to leave Afghanistan may do so on commercial aircraft.
“The Security Council resolution about securing the airport must be implemented. There are talks under way with the Qataris and Turks about management of the airport. We must demand that access to the airport is safe,” Le Drian said on France 2 television.
According to the FAA, “due to a lack of air traffic services and a functional civil aviation authority in Afghanistan, as well as persistent security concerns, US civil operators, pilots, and US-registered civil aircraft are barred from operating at any altitude over much of Afghanistan.”
Earlier this month, the US military announced that it had taken over air traffic control in Kabul to assist the evacuation of tens of thousands of Afghans.
Per the FAA, US civil aviation operators “may continue to use one high-altitude jet route near the extreme eastern border for overflights.” Any US civil aircraft operator wishing to fly into/out of or above Afghanistan must first obtain permission from the FAA.”
On August 18, the FAA announced that with previous US Defense Department clearance, US aviation carriers and civilian pilots might fly into Kabul to perform evacuation or relief flights. This month, US airlines assisted in the transportation of thousands of evacuees, although flights were done from airports outside of Afghanistan.
