ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Syria’s civil aviation authority on Saturday censured the Kurdish administration in northeast Syria (Rojava) for unilaterally deciding to reopen Qamishli airport, saying that such a move requires approval from Damascus.
The Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria (DAANES) issued a decree on Thursday announcing the formation of a General Administration responsible for administratively and financially managing Qamishli airport, and reporting to the DAANES, media close to the Rojava administration reported on Saturday.
Hours later, the Damascus-affiliated General Authority of Civil Aviation said in a statement that only it has the mandate to make any changes to the airport and labeled Rojava’s decision to reopen it “a clear violation of laws and international aviation regulations.”
It added that the airport is currently shut for “operational reasons” and the closure “has been implemented and binding on all airlines and relevant local and international entities.”
Qamishli airport is “closed to air traffic as was and will be activated or used only upon its issuance exclusively by the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and any attempt to use it without prior coordination and official approval is considered a clear violation of laws and international aviation regulations,” the authority said.
Opened in the 1950s as a regional hub for northeast Syria, Qamishli International Airport occupies a strategic location near the borders with Turkey and Iraq. It remained under the control of Bashar al-Assad’s regime until December, when Damascus fell to rebel groups. Following the regime's withdrawal, Kurdish forces took control of the airport.
