Once Rejected And Threatened By The Taliban, Turkey Proposes Conditions To Operate Kabul Airport

International coalition troops stand guard at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Wikimedia Commons/Lance Cpl. Nicholas Guevara)

JAKARTA - The Taliban submitted an application to Turkey to manage Kabul airport, but asked all Ankara army personnel to leave by August 31, prompting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to say there has been no response on this matter.

This request comes after the Taliban had previously criticized and threatened Turkey's desire to help maintain and operate Kabul's airport after NATO left. Now, Turkey is said to be applying for conditions to comply with the Taliban's request, given the situation that occurred after the suicide bomb attack near the airport last Thursday.

Citing Reuters Friday, August 27, two Turkish officials said their country would not help run Kabul airport after the NATO withdrawal, unless the Taliban agreed to a Turkish security presence. Previously, Turkey, which is part of the NATO mission, was in charge of security at the airport for the past six years.

Keeping airports open after foreign forces give up control is essential not only for Afghanistan to stay connected to the world but also for maintaining supply and aid operations.

Last Thursday, just days before the military withdrawal deadline and as countries are still racing to evacuate civilians by August 31, a suicide bomb attack killed 92 people, including 13 US troops and 28 Taliban troops, outside the airport gates.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru/The Presidential Press and Information Office)

A senior Turkish official said the attack raised doubts about the ability of the Taliban, to secure airports or to keep Turkish operational staff safe.

"The operation can be carried out by Turkey technically, but our demand is that security must be guaranteed by Turkey as well, through an extensive security team consisting of ex-soldiers, ex-policemen, or completely private companies," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. .

"We are not interested in Turkey operating the airport in an atmosphere where security is provided by the Taliban and yesterday's attack shows this to be true," the official continued.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself said on Friday that Turkey had not yet made a final decision because of the high risks involved. He told reporters Turkey was "in no hurry to start (commercial) flights or anything like that" and Ankara would decide "when there is finally some calm there (in Kabul)". President Erdogan said there was a risk of being "sucked in" into something that would be difficult to explain given the uncertainty surrounding the possible mission.

The senior official said talks with the Taliban concerned the negative impact of the airport attack, with future international flights from Kabul at risk of being shut down. He did not say when the next contact would be made.

Meanwhile, another Turkish official said the security measures announced by the Taliban, including guarding watchtowers around the airport, were not enough to ensure the safety of a potential Turkish mission.

"This is a very serious job and we need to think about security and joint operations. Our approach is, if security is not provided by the Turkish Armed Forces, it must be done by Turkey," he stressed.

To note, at least 350 Turkish soldiers and about 1,400 others have been evacuated by Turkey from Afghanistan since the Taliban seized Kabul on August 15.

The Taliban's request to Turkey is in contrast to previous conditions, in which the Taliban warned Turkey against a possible plan to keep some troops in Afghanistan to run and guard Kabul's main airport, following the withdrawal of the US-led foreign coalition forces.

The Taliban firmly called the Turkish plan a despicable act, as well as warned of the consequences that would result from it. Turkey's offer comes after Turkey held talks with the United States.

"The Emirate of Afghanistan condemns this despicable decision. If Turkish officials fail to reconsider their decision and continue the occupation of our country, we will take a stand against them," the Taliban said in a statement.

In that case, the statement continued, responsibility for the consequences will rest with those who interfere. This threat is part of the Taliban's struggle, as the international coalition troops began to lift their feet, by sieging and seizing cities in Afghanistan.