Turkey has sent a 25-member technical team to Syria to help repair and improve Damascus International Airport, which was damaged during the country’s 13-year civil war, Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced on Sunday.
The team entered Syria via the Cilvegözü border gate in Turkey’s Hatay province on February 7, bringing six trucks loaded with 113 pieces of equipment for the work, according to a written statement from the ministry.
“We’ve delivered essential systems to ensure safe flight operations at Damascus International Airport and in Syrian airspace,” the minister said. “Our team will also complete the training of airport personnel.”
Turkish engineers have installed two new radio transceivers in the control tower and are assessing repairs to navigation aids damaged during the war. The airport currently operates under visual flight rules due to non-functional radar and landing systems.
To enhance security Turkey has provided 10 X-ray scanners, four explosives trace detectors and 18 metal detection units. Six X-ray machines and five walk-through metal detectors are already operational, Uraloğlu added.
The improvements to the facility include two Turkish-made Volkan Lion 8×8 firefighting vehicles to strengthen emergency response capabilities. Syrian crews have completed training on the new equipment, aiming to meet International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
“Turkey will continue cooperation to strengthen Syria’s aviation infrastructure,” Uraloğlu said.
The airport, which had to be closed to service several times due to damage sustained during the civil war, was also closed during the offensive that led to the ouster of Bashar al-Assad on December 8.
Qatar Airways was the first international carrier to resume flights to Syria’s capital, launching service on January 7.
Turkish Airlines also restarted its İstanbul-Damascus route in late January, operating three times weekly until March 27, after suspending flights in 2012 due to regional tensions.
Syria aims to resume European flights by summer 2025, contingent on meeting safety standards with support from Turkey and Qatar.