Turkey sends experts to help renovate Syrian airport
Turkey has deployed a team of 25 experts to help with the renovation of Damascus International Airport in Syria, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said on February 16th, according to The New Arab.
“Our team, consisting of personnel from the General Directorate of State Airports Authority, has been deployed to restore Damascus Airport, which was severely damaged and became inoperable during the 13-year-long Syrian civil war,” Uraloglu said in a written statement.
The team is made up of experts in various fields and has transported vital supplies to help rebuild the airport, Uraloglu added.
“To ensure safe flight operations at the airport and within Syrian airspace, we have dispatched 113 vehicles, devices, and systems via six trucks. Our team is not only installing the necessary equipment but will also complete the training of the airport’s personnel,” Uraloglu said.
Turkey has also provided ten X-ray machines, four explosive trace detectors, 10 walk-through metal detectors, and eight handheld detectors, he said.
“Our teams, working in coordination with Syrian officials, have completed the installation of most of these devices. Efforts to further improve the security level of Damascus (International) Airport are ongoing, with necessary assessments and reports being prepared,” Uraloglu added.
In addition, two new radio receiver and transmitter systems have been installed in the control tower, while multiple air navigation aid systems, that were previously damaged in the war or have been long out of service, have now been repaired, according to Uraloglu.
Turkey cut its diplomatic relations with Syria in 2012. After the end of the Assad regime, Turkey has called for a peaceful transition in the country, while vowing to support the new Syrian administration in rebuilding the nation and setting up its state structures.
As far as efforts to rebuild Syria go, tourism is considered a key factor as Syria’s transitional government is attempting to stabilise the country and move away from the war that has devastated the nation for 13 years.
The New Arab
