A passenger plane operated by Syria’s national carrier, Syrian Air, yesterday landed in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, after 12 years of suspended service due to diplomatic tensions between the two nations.
Syria’s official news agency SANA reported that the airliner arrived at King Khalid International Airport yesterday, marking the resumption of regular commercial flights between the Syrian capital, Damascus, and Saudi Arabia.
According to SANA, the Riyadh Airports Company held a celebration at King Khalid International Airport, attended by Syrian Ambassador to Riyadh, Ayman Sousan, together with Saudi officials.
“The event represents good news for Syrians and Saudis alike, because it facilitates communication between the two countries and spares citizens the suffering of indirect travel,” SANA quoted Sousan as saying.
“The resumption of regular flights between Syria and Saudi Arabia is an additional step in the process of steady development witnessed by relations between the two brotherly countries,” he added.
Saudi Arabia severed its relations with Damascus in 2012 following the Syrian regime’s brutal repression of peaceful protesters.
However, in May 2023, the two countries resumed diplomatic missions, and re-open their embassies.
In the same month, the Arab League agreed to welcome Syria back into its fold with immediate effect after more than a decade.
A year later, Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal Bin Farhan, visited Damascus, days after a similar visit by the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Al-Miqdad, to Jeddah.
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