UAE civil aviation authority says all flights to Afghanistan suspended

All flights to Afghanistan by registered airlines will be suspended due to the current situation in the country, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced on Monday.

Both Emirates and flydubai had suspended operations to Kabul on Sunday.

Read: Dubai’s Emirates suspends Kabul flights

In a statement, the GCAA said that it is closely monitoring the developments in Afghanistan and assessing the current situation, in coordination with relevant authorities and the UAE’s national carriers.

“Under this framework, the GCAA stated it is prioritising the safety and security of civil aviation,” official news agency WAM reported.

The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation also said that the evacuation of the country’s diplomatic mission from Afghanistan is ‘well underway.’

Read: UAE assures evacuation of diplomatic mission from Kabul

The US is currently in talks with the Taliban as it seeks to restore order over Afghanistan’s main airport and help forge a political settlement after the militant group took Kabul and the country’s President fled.

Desperate scenes played out on Monday at Kabul’s international airport, the only area still under US control, with the Associated Press reporting that at least seven people were killed as thousands rushed to exit Afghanistan.

Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of people swarming the tarmac as countries including the US seek to evacuate their diplomats and other nationals.

The panic in Afghanistan’s largest city reflects the Taliban’s rapid territorial advance, returning the fundamentalist group to power two decades after the US military invaded and kicked it out.

Taliban leaders, who have projected a more moderate stance in a bid to win global support, have said they want to form an inclusive government. Talks are still ongoing with other Afghan political leaders on what that would look like.

With inputs from Bloomberg