The Syrian regime recently announced that Saudi Arabia has agreed to resume direct flights between Syria and Saudi airports after an interruption of over 11 years.
Bassem Mansour, the director general of the Syrian regime’s Civil Aviation Corporation, stated that the Saudi authorities approved a request made by the regime to reinstate flights between the two nations. He added that both the Syrian Air Company and the private Cham Wings Company are currently finalizing their preparations to commence operations.
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Mansour emphasized that the Arab Civil Aviation Organization of the Arab League has notified the Syrian regime about the reinstatement of all its activities and effectiveness. This development is expected to encourage other Arab countries to resume flights to Damascus and entice numerous airlines to utilize Syrian airspace for transit.
According to the pro-regime newspaper Al-Watan, the Syrian Air Corporation has initiated the process of equipping its offices in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. An official within the organization mentioned that flights are scheduled to commence at the end of June or after Eid al-Adha, subject to the completion of necessary technical procedures.
In a notable shift, Saudi Arabia began expressing signs of openness towards the Syrian regime following a devastating earthquake that struck the country in February. Saudi Arabia provided humanitarian aid to the affected population residing within areas under its control. Subsequently, in March, the Saudi Foreign Ministry announced its intention to engage in talks with Damascus regarding the resumption of consular services between the two nations.
In April, Riyadh officially reinstated relations with the Syrian regime. This marked a significant development as it was the first official visit by a senior regime diplomat to Saudi Arabia since 2011, with the regime’s foreign minister arriving in Jeddah. This visit was followed by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan’s similar visit to Damascus. Notably, these visits were preceded by undisclosed intelligence-level meetings.
Riyadh took the initiative to restore Syria’s seat in the Arab League, leading the process of reinstating order. As a result, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attended the Arab summit hosted by Riyadh on May 19, upon the invitation of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saoud.
Just two days after readmitting the regime to the Arab League, Riyadh announced the resumption of its diplomatic mission in Syria. This move comes after more than a decade since the closure of the Saudi embassy in Damascus, signifying a notable shift in their diplomatic approach.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
