Qatar Helping Taliban To Make Kabul Airport Operational 'As Soon As Possible'

“We are working very hard (and) we remain hopeful that we will be able to operate it as soon as possible,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

Qatar's Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, delivers a speech during a press conference on August 31, 2021 in Doha | AFP

Doha: Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani on Thursday said his country is engaging with the Taliban to reopen the Kabul airport as soon as possible.

“We are working very hard (and) we remain hopeful that we will be able to operate it as soon as possible,” said Sheikh Mohammed.

READ: Not Engaging With Taliban Will Give Space To Terrorist Organisations: Pak Foreign Minister Qureshi

“Hopefully in the next few days we will hear some good news,” he added.

Addressing a joint press conference with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab in Doha, Sheikh Mohammed urged the Taliban to allow Afghans to leave.

“It's very important... that the Taliban demonstrate their commitment to provide safe passage and freedom of movement for the people of Afghanistan,” said Sheikh Mohammed, AFP reported.

The Foreign Minister further said his country is “engaging with (the Taliban) and also with Turkey if they can provide any technical assistance”.

The UK Foreign Secretary on his part said “we need to adjust to the new reality” of Taliban rule.

“Our immediate priority is to secure the safe passage of those remaining British nationals, but also the Afghans who worked for the United Kingdom, and indeed others who may be at most risk,” added Raab.

The Qatari Foreign Minister’s remarks come as the Kabul airport is out of operation with much of its infrastructure degraded or destroyed.

Earlier on Wednesday, a Qatari technical team flew into Kabul to discuss reopening the airport. It was the first plane to land there since the evacuations.

Over one lakh foreign nationals and Afghans fled the country in the airlift operation, but many more are desperate to leave.