Bahrain prepares to send commercial planes to Syria despite sanctions

DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Bahrain prepares commercial planes to send to Syria as part of supporting its return to the Arab Civil Aviation Organization despite sanctions, a source said on Tuesday.

The exclusive source working at the Qamishli airport told North Press that there are talks about sending four planes in batches.

He added that efforts are also being made to establish a new airline in Syria.

International sanctions have crippled Syrian civil aviation sector, preventing it from importing airplanes and spare parts for the maintenance of planes.

A Bahraini company specializing in aircraft maintenance will work on repairing and maintaining Syrian aircraft, according to the source.

Days earlier, Syria attended the General Assembly meeting of the Arab Civil Aviation Organization in the Moroccan capital of Rabat 12 years after the start of the war in the country.

The organizations is affiliated with the Arab League and deals with civil aviation affairs in the Arab world in terms of airports, airspaces, airlines, aviation safety, and air navigation between Arab countries.

On June 10, an exclusive security source working at a Syrian airport told North Press that Saudi Arabia returned two Boeing 747 commercial planes impounded in Riyad since 2011 back to Syria, which the Syrian Airline denied.

On May 23, a source told North Press that despite sanctions, Saudi Arabia provided equipment and spare parts for the maintenance of civil aviation to the Syrian government via Bahrain days after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attended the 33 Arab summit.

By Taysir Muhammad