DUBAI: A Qatari Air Force plane carrying 31 tonnes of food aid landed in the Syrian capital of Damascus, as part of the country's ongoing air bridge initiative to support the Syrian people, the Qatari Foreign Ministry announced.
The aid is provided by the Qatar Fund for Development, a government entity focused on improving global livelihoods, Xinhua news agency reported.
It marks the fourth aid plane to land at Damascus International Airport and the eighth dispatched under the Qatari air bridge initiative.
On January 7, Damascus International Airport received its first civilian flight from Doha in 13 years, according to airport officials.
On January 5, Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, held here discussions with a high-level Syrian delegation led by interim Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, focusing on bilateral ties and developments in Syria.
Earlier, Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, met with a high-level Syrian delegation led by interim Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, to discuss bilateral ties and the latest developments in Syria.
The delegation included Syria's Minister of Defence, Marhaf Abu Qasra, and the Head of the Intelligence Service, Anas Khattab, according to a statement from the Qatari Foreign Ministry.
During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral cooperation and ways to strengthen it, the latest developments in Syria, Qatar's humanitarian assistance, among other issues concerning mutual interests.
The Qatari Prime Minister reaffirmed his country's unwavering stance in supporting Syria's unity, sovereignty, and independence, highlighting the importance of fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people.
For his part, Al-Shaibani praised Qatar's prominent role in supporting the Syrian people, noting that Qatar would be a key partner in the peace phase.
On December 21, 2024, Qatar reopened its embassy in Damascus, Syria, becoming the second country to do so after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government. This marked the first time in 13 years that Qatar's national flag was raised over the embassy building.