By RAJA ABDULRAHIM
Just prior to the arrival of the inaugural domestic flight after Bashar Assad’s exit at Aleppo International Airport late Wednesday morning, final touches were underway. Employees hurried to clear away around a dozen abandoned ammunition boxes, gas masks, and helmets from a grassy area adjacent to the runway.
The Syrian Air flight from Damascus, the capital, landed more than an hour late and was met by a sizeable gathering of reporters along with a contingent of security personnel, which included military police and civil defense workers, ready to respond in case of any unforeseen issues.
Nonetheless, the landing proceeded without incident — an optimistic indication, the rebels who dismantled Assad’s presidency just ten days prior believe, that Syria’s newly formed transitional government can effectively govern the country. Their goal is to validate their ability to deliver fundamental services to Syrians, which includes both domestic and international flights.
“We view this as a significant achievement — we are here to rebuild this nation,” stated Anas Rustum, appointed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the rebel faction that spearheaded the campaign against the Assad government and now oversees the transitional administration in Damascus, who was in charge of Aleppo airport.
Speaking outside the airport terminal, with the recently arrived Airbus A320 parked on the tarmac behind him, Rustum mentioned that Syria’s leadership was open to receiving flights from all nations and airlines, highlighting “these remarkable developments you can see with your own eyes.”
In another indication of the new administration’s commitment to reinstating services, Syria’s central bank announced Wednesday that ATMs and electronic payment systems had been restored.
However, numerous challenges lie ahead.
The emerging government lacks control over the entirety of Syria. The coalition of rebels that has displaced Assad retains control over large areas in the northeast, as well as portions of the east and south, while other factions occupy significant regions of the country. Last week, Israel’s military captured ground in southern Syria, and its prime minister indicated on Tuesday that the area would remain under Israeli control indefinitely.
Additionally, the transitional government must contend with stringent sanctions placed on the country throughout Assad’s tenure. With the United States, the United Nations, and others still labeling Hayat Tahrir al-Sham a terrorist organization, this could hinder the nation’s efforts to receive reconstruction assistance and complicate the provision of aid from other governments. The group’s leaders have advocated for the removal of sanctions, assuring that all armed factions will be disbanded.
On Wednesday, despite the Aleppo airport marking a new beginning, remnants of the conflict were evident. Throughout the nearly 14-year-long civil war, the civilian facility had been utilized by the Assad regime to execute attacks against rebels and civilians in opposition-held territories.
Ahmed Ibrahim, who has operated the control tower at the airport for nearly thirty years, recalled how the Assad forces had set a machine gun on top of the control tower to target nearby districts, and rocket launchers were placed in a grassy area beside the runway.
Airport personnel had dismantled the launchers a few days prior. The empty ammunition boxes left behind were cleared away on Wednesday morning. The actual flight was directed from a backup control tower as the primary one had sustained damage from an earthquake last year — and further damage during brief clashes after the rebels took control of the city on Nov. 30, leaving its windows riddled with bullet impacts.
The rebels’ offensive, alongside the downfall of the Assad regime, grounded all of Syria’s flights. Up until Wednesday, the only aircraft traversing the skies had been Israeli jets conducting numerous strikes on Syrian military and naval targets. The United Nations has urged Israel to halt its assaults on Syria and to respect the nation’s sovereignty.
“Manning the airport is entwined with managing the airspace,” Rustum remarked. “And air routes connect to neighboring nations.”
Rustum, a small but well-dressed individual who had been the airport’s communications manager until 2012, the year after the civil conflict began, radiated enthusiasm on Wednesday. He noted that Syrian officials had communicated with bordering countries eager to reignite flight services to Syria.
When the rebels took over Aleppo, airport staff initially felt apprehensive, according to Ibrahim. However, they were quickly reassured as rebel leaders urged all airport employees to return to their positions.
He expressed that domestic and international aviation could symbolize the new, post-Assad era in Syria.
“We’re optimistic about an opening to other nations,” he asserted.
Syrian Air is one of the country’s two national carriers, but due to years of international sanctions, many of its aircraft could not be maintained in operation due to a lack of parts, he explained.
Adjacent to the civilian airport in Aleppo lies the Nayrab military airport, which throughout Assad’s rule housed warplanes and helicopters from the Soviet era that government forces employed to indiscriminately bomb rebel-held zones, resulting in countless civilian casualties.
The military installation, also used by Russian forces supporting the Assad regime, now stands deserted. Pro-Assad graffiti marks the walls. Inside a Russian outpost at the military airport, newspapers in Russian are scattered across a table. Makeshift dumbbells crafted from scrap metal and concrete linger in a corner.
Amidst the military compound, a torn poster of Russian President Vladimir Putin lies in the courtyard. Inside, a photograph of Putin with Assad has been defaced with egg splatters.
