Syria begins restoring Latakia airport after Russian handover
Technical teams have started rehabilitation work as Damascus seeks to resume passenger services and rebuild its national aviation network
LATAKIA, Syria (MNTV) — Syria has begun restoring Latakia International Airport following an agreement with Russia to transfer management of civilian facilities to Damascus, part of a wider effort to rebuild the country’s aviation network.
The General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport has deployed technical teams to assess and rehabilitate the airport’s buildings, facilities and equipment, Syrian media reported. Officials said the project has entered its implementation phase but did not provide a date for the resumption of flights.
Authority chief Omar Hosari said the airport would return to service once restoration work was completed and the facility met required technical and safety standards.
He said the broader rehabilitation program was also intended to strengthen state control over Syria’s civil aviation infrastructure.
The restoration follows a memorandum signed by Syria and Russia on Aug. 9 after more than 18 months of negotiations over the future of Russian facilities along Syria’s Mediterranean coast.
Under the agreement, Damascus is to take responsibility for civilian facilities, including Hmeimim Airport and a commercial berth at Tartous port. Russian military facilities are instead scheduled to be converted into joint training and qualification centers.
Syrian aviation officials began technical discussions with Russian representatives in August to determine arrangements for the transfer of Latakia airport. The talks have included assessments of infrastructure, equipment and operational systems.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani visited the airport on Sept. 18 and met Russian officials to review implementation of the agreement and the progress of the handover, according to Syrian state media.
The transition of the facilities covered by the Syrian-Russian memorandum is scheduled to take place within three months.
The arrangement changes the role of Russian military installations in Syria while allowing the two countries to maintain cooperation through joint training centers.
Latakia airport has particular significance because Russia used the facility as a major base for its air operations in Syria after intervening in the country’s civil war in 2015. Russia was a key ally of former President Bashar Assad until his government fell in December 2024.
The airport restoration is part of a broader revival of Syrian civil aviation. Damascus and Aleppo airports have seen the return of international carriers, while authorities are also working to reopen or expand airports in Deir Ezzor and Qamishli and develop new aviation links.
The government has presented the expansion of air services as a means of reconnecting Syrian cities with international destinations, facilitating travel for Syrians abroad and supporting trade, investment and tourism.
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