Syria21 February, 20262 min read
Damascus Takes Over Qamishli International Airport Under Deal With SDF, Restores Civil Flights After 15‑Year Halt
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Syria's Civil Aviation Authority took control of Qamishli Airport under an agreement with the SDF. Civilian flights resumed; sources differ on halt length: over a year versus 15 years.
5 outlets told this the same way.
Outlets did split on Asad Al-Shaibani Meets Saddam Haftar in Benghazi Over Syrian Consulate And Missing Syrians →
Qamishli airport handover
Syria’s Civil Aviation Authority announced that it has taken control of Qamishli International Airport in the northeast, clearing the way for civilian flights to resume after a 15-year hiatus.
“Syria’s Civil Aviation Authority has taken control of Qamishli International Airport in the northeast, clearing the way for civilian flights to resume after a 15-year hiatus, the authority announced Saturday.”
The authority framed the handover as an operational step following coordination between Damascus and local forces.
The handover follows a Jan. 30 agreement between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) covering Hasakah and Qamishli and proposing integration of administrative and military structures.
Syria’s Interior Ministry representatives met with SDF leaders on Feb. 8 to coordinate the transfer.
The airport is described as the only airport serving northeastern Syria, making it key for the region’s transport and logistics.
Damascus and SDF/QSD accords
The transfer is tied to a series of agreements between Damascus and the SDF/QSD, with Middle East Monitor and Al‑Jazeera Net citing a Jan. 30 "comprehensive agreement" said to complement a Jan. 18 deal that called for a ceasefire and the integration of QSD elements into state institutions.
Syrian state reporting, as summarized by those outlets, links the Jan. 30 accord to a Syrian Army operation that retook large areas in eastern and northeastern Syria and to allegations of repeated violations by the SDF/QSD of a March 2025 accord.
Reporting on security arrangements
Reporting describes security arrangements and prior military presence differently across outlets. Al‑Jazeera Net reports Russian forces deployed to the airport in 2019 and established a small air base that increased security and helped stabilize passenger flights.
“In 2019 Russian forces deployed to the airport and set up a small air base, giving it greater security, shielding it from direct attacks and helping stabilize passenger flights.”
Middle East Monitor and Al‑Jazeera Net both recount a Syrian Army operation that retook territory in the east and northeast and link that operation to alleged breaches by QSD/SDF. Türkiye Today focuses on administrative coordination between Damascus and SDF leaders and does not reiterate the full security backstory.
Accords: rights and administration
Observers and the articles highlight political and rights-related language in the accords. Al-Jazeera Net reports that the latest agreement "pledges to respect Kurdish rights within full equality among Syria’s components and to integrate northeastern Syria’s civil and military institutions into the state administration."
Middle East Monitor notes SDF leadership’s interest in local autonomy within a unified Syria. Türkiye Today frames the change primarily in administrative and transport terms, noting the handover and the potential resumption of civil flights.
Flight resumption timeline
What remains unclear from the available reporting is the operational timeline and the practical steps for resuming regular passenger services: the sources say the handover 'clears the way' and that officials met to coordinate the transfer, but none of the articles in this set provide a detailed schedule for commercial flights or the immediate logistical steps required to reinstate services after a 15-year halt.
“Syria’s Civil Aviation Authority has taken control of Qamishli International Airport in the northeast, clearing the way for civilian flights to resume after a 15-year hiatus, the authority announced Saturday.”
The reporting therefore establishes the administrative and political framework but leaves precise implementation and timings unspecified.