Taliban: UAE firm to run flight services on Afghan airports

By RAHIM FAIEZ
Associated Press

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The Taliban and the Abu Dhabi-based firm GAAC Solutions have signed a contract for the Emirati company to provide flight services and manage planes landing and taking off on key airports in Afghanistan. The Taliban say the flight guidance services deal will also include equipping the facilities and training Afghan staff at country’s three major airports, including the one in the capital of Kabul. The two other airports covered under the deal are in the cities of Herat and Kandahar. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban-appointed deputy prime minister, said at Thursday’s deal-signing ceremony in Kabul that the “strengthening of the economy is a priority for the government.”