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Updated September 29th, 2021 at 13:39 IST

Taliban writes to DGCA, requests to resume commercial flights to Afghanistan

The letter by Taliban is under review by Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA). The militant organisation had closed down all routes to the Kabul Airport earlier

Reported by: Bhavyata Kagrana
Taliban, DGCA
IMAGE: PTI/ANI | Image:self
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In what could be called as first official communication, the Taliban has written to India's DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) to resume commercial flights to Afghanistan. Reportedly, the letter is under review by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA). India had stopped all commercial flight operations to Kabul after the Taliban had taken over the capital on August 15. 

Taliban writes to India's Civil Aviation Ministry

Taliban asks international airlines to resume flights

Before writing to India, the Taliban had appealed to international countries to resume flights promising full cooperation with airlines and saying that problems at Kabul airport had been resolved. After the Taliban had seized the most crucial provinces of Afghanistan in August, major airlines had expressed reluctance to use the airspace of the war-torn country. 

While United Airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic said they were not using the country's airspace, several others had also rerouted their planes to other countries. As of writing this news, flight-tracking website FlightRadar24, which monitors the live status of the commercial planes, shows none of the flights is using Afghanistan airspace. The website live tracking system shows only three flights - one Doha bound and two Singapore bound flights - are flying near the boundaries of Afghanistan. 

Taliban blocks services at Kabul Airport

In September, it was reported that several chartered planes with evacuees were unable to take off from the Kabul Airport in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover, as per the officials. The report had come out after four planes chartered to evacuate several hundred people from Afghanistan were reportedly not been allowed to leave the country. This had come even as the Taliban promised to uphold 'safe passage' for foreigners and Afghans willing to leave the war-torn nation. 

The Taliban had come under serious international pressure after it barred Afghans from leaving the nation, shutting off all routes to the Kabul Airport. After facing flak, the terror group had reopened the Kabul Airport and had promised to allow foreigners, and those wishing to leave Afghanistan a safe passage. It had said that Afghans with passports and visas will be permitted to travel once the country's airports are operational.

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Published September 29th, 2021 at 13:39 IST

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