Syrian PM Urges Quicker Repair of Damascus Airport after Israeli Strikes
Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous on Sunday urged a quicker repair of the damage caused by the latest Israeli missile strikes to the airport of the capital Damascus, state news agency SANA reported.
Arnous made the call during his visit to the airport, where he was briefed on the damage to the main runway of the airport and an operating room during the missile strikes on Friday.
The Syrian transport ministry announced the suspension of flights at the Damascus airport in the wake of the Israeli strikes, with part of the flights diverted to the airport of the northern city of Aleppo.
The suspension of flights has prevented Syrians from traveling to the far northeastern province of Hasakah, which is possibly only accessible by air because of the presence of ultra-radical groups on the major roads leading to the province.
Humanitarian organizations have largely been relying on air transport to reach Hasakah and Aleppo.
Israel often hits the vicinity of the Damascus airport, but this is the first time the entire airport is rendered out of service as a result of the strikes.