Turkey, Qatar continue to work on operation of Kabul Airport, Defence Minister Akar said

Turkey continues to cooperate with Qatar on the operation of Kabul Hamid Karzai International Airport, which is important for all Afghan people, Defence Minister, Hulusi Akar said Tuesday, Anadolu News Agency reports.

According to the report, Akar said that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) has undertaken important duties in Afghanistan and in accordance with the United Nations and NATO resolutions.

 “Approximately 20,000 personnel have been working in Afghanistan since 2002 within the body of the TSK,” he added during a speech at Turkish Parliament’s Planning and Budget Committee.

“After the US and NATO’s decision to leave Afghanistan, in the last period that developed faster than expected and the conditions became more difficult, the evacuation decision was taken and the process was successfully completed in less than 48 hours, as planned,” he said.

Last month, Turkey’s President Erdogan said that Turkey is ready to help Afghanistan recover from years of conflict and strife if the nation also looks out for its own unity and solidarity.

The Taliban seized control of most of Afghanistan in lightning advances, including the August 15 capture of Kabul, with top government officials fleeing.

Compounding the crisis, two suicide bombers detonated bombs outside the Kabul Airport in August, in an attack claimed by terror group, Daesh.

READ: Turkey should pull troops from Afghanistan, Taliban says