The Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport has launched rehabilitation and restoration work on the Latakia Airport terminal and its facilities, in preparation for reopening the airport and receiving passengers.

The authority said in a statement on Sunday evening, September 27, that technical crews had begun entering the airport to start the required rehabilitation work. It said the move is part of efforts to rehabilitate Syrian airports and improve their operational readiness, strengthening air transport and connecting Syria with its regional and international surroundings.

Omar al-Husari, head of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, told Syria’s official news agency SANA that the airport would be returned to service in accordance with approved safety, technical readiness, and operational requirements.

He said the date for reopening Latakia International Airport would be announced once the work is completed and its full and safe operational readiness has been verified. He added that the Syrian state is continuing to rehabilitate its aviation infrastructure and expand its network of operational airports.

Al-Husari said the process also reinforces the state’s management of civil aviation facilities, which he described as part of Syria’s sovereign and strategic infrastructure.

The General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport announced on August 9 that it had assumed management of Latakia International Airport as part of a broader Syrian-Russian understanding that included returning civilian facilities previously managed by Russia on the Syrian coast to the Syrian government.

Following the announcement of the understanding, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, accompanied by aviation authority head Omar al-Husari, visited Latakia International Airport to inspect the airport and its facilities and review its readiness.

Syrian-Russian Understanding

The Syrian Foreign Ministry announced that it had reached an understanding with the Russian government under which the Syrian government would manage civilian facilities that had been under Russian control on the Syrian coast.

Syria’s official news agency SANA quoted the Foreign Ministry’s Communications and Media Department as saying on August 9 that the civilian facilities to be managed by Syria included Hmeimim Airport and the fourth commercial berth at Tartous Port.

The ministry said the two sides had agreed to convert Russian military bases into joint training and rehabilitation centers in a manner that preserves their mutual interests.

The memorandum of understanding also set a three-month deadline for completing the transfer process, after which the new arrangements would take effect.

The Foreign Ministry’s Communications and Media Department said the understanding was reached after a year and a half of talks led by the ministry.

It said the step was the most significant since negotiations began and would contribute to building a different phase in Syrian-Russian relations.

On September 18, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani conducted a field tour of Latakia International Airport accompanied by several Syrian military officials, before holding a meeting with Russian officials to follow up on the implementation of the Syrian-Russian memorandum of understanding.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said al-Shaibani was accompanied on the tour by Chief of the General Staff Major General Ali al-Naasan, Air Force Commander Brigadier General Asim Hawari, Naval Forces Commander Brigadier General Mohammed al-Saud, and Military Intelligence chief Brigadier General Hamza al-Hamidi.

The ministry added that al-Shaibani met with several Russian officials to follow up on procedures for implementing the memorandum of understanding signed by the two sides and review progress on the agreed implementation measures.