The Taliban called for support from Turkey to run Kabul airport, Turkish officials say

ANKARA, Aug 25 (Reuters) – Taliban have called on technical assistance to Turkey to run Kabul airport after foreign forces leave, but insist Ankara military also withdraw completely ahead of schedule limit in late August, two Turkish officials told Reuters.

The conditional petition of the Islamist Taliban, who returned to power in Afghanistan 20 years after being ousted in a US invasion, leaves Ankara with a difficult decision on whether to accept dangerous work, an official said.

Mainly Muslim Turkey was part of a NATO mission in Afghanistan and still has hundreds of troops at Kabul airport. Officials say they are ready to retire at short notice.

But the government of President Tayyip Erdogan has said for months that it could maintain a presence at the airport if requested. After the Taliban took control of the country, Turkey offered technical and security assistance at the airport. Read more

“The Taliban have made a request for technical support to run Kabul airport,” a senior Turkish official said, adding that the Taliban’s demand for all Turkish troops to leave would complicate any potential mission.

“Ensuring the safety of workers without the Turkish Armed Forces is a risky job,” he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Talks with the Taliban on the issue continued and, meanwhile, preparations for the withdrawal of troops had been completed, he said.

It was unclear whether Turkey would agree to provide technical assistance if its troops were not there to provide security.

Another Turkish official said a final decision would be made before Aug. 31 for foreign forces to leave the country and end 20-year military involvement in Afghanistan.

Keeping the airport open after foreign forces hand over control is vital not only for Afghanistan to stay connected to the world, but also to keep supply and aid operations.

“It will be a lifeline for humanitarian action in Afghanistan,” Mary Ellen McGroarty, director of the World Food Program in Afghanistan, said last week.

“GOOD RELATIONS”

Turkey has praised what it called moderate statements by the Taliban since they captured Kabul and said it is open to committing to them once a new government is formed.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Tuesday that the group was looking for good ties with Ankara,

“We want good relations with Turkey, the Turkish government and the Muslim people of the Turkish nation. As for the Turkish forces stationed in Afghanistan, we do not need them in our country and, once the evacuation is over, we will ensure the airport by ourselves, ”Mujahid said.

Turkey had been in charge of securing Kabul airport under NATO deployment and has been involved in evacuation work for the past two weeks.

The United States says it is coordinating with regional partners, as well as the Taliban, on the future operation of Kabul airport.

“A functioning state, a functioning economy, a government that has an appearance of relationship with the rest of the world, needs a commercial airport that works,” State Department spokeswoman Ned Price said Monday.

“We are in talks with the Taliban on this same front. They have indicated to us in uncertain terms that they want to have a commercial airport that works.”

Additional reports from Humeyra Pamuk in Washington; Written by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Edited by Dominic Evans and Giles Elgood

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