UAE to deliver aid to Kabul through the air bridge: airport manager

United Arab Emirates (UAE) has set up an air bridge to transport tons of aid to Afghanistan.

“From September 3, (…) the UAE government has activated an air bridge corridor for humanitarian aid,” said Ibrahim Moarafi.

Moarafi is the general manager and regional director of GAAC, a UAE-based company that has provided ground and security handling services at Kabul airport since November 2020.

“From that day and until now, we have received and handled 11 flights almost on a daily basis, and we have handled 255 tons of medical aid and food items,” he said.

Whereas, two UAE aircraft unpacked dozens of aid packages comprising roast minced veal, powdered milk, cooking oil and medical supplies.

Around 120,000 Afghans and foreigners who escaped Afghanistan on evacuation flights landed in the UAE and Qatar before going on to their final endpoints.

Qatar has hosted the largest US air force base in the area and has been the main transitional between the Taliban and the international community.

Previously UAE was one of only three countries to recognize Taliban rule between 1996 and 2001.

Presently UAE is hosting exiled president Ashraf Ghani who escaped Kabul as the Taliban arrived the city.

Kabul airport has still not received its first international flight since the Taliban takeover, technicians at the vital facility have been competing round the clock to bring it back to life.