Aug 31, 2021: The Taliban are in talks with Qatar and Turkey over the management of Kabul airport because of a lack of air traffic control services after the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Tuesday that the talks were aimed at securing the airport as soon as possible so that those wishing to leave Afghanistan could do so on commercial flights.

Speaking on TV channel France 2, Drian said, “The Security Council resolution about securing the airport must be implemented. There are talks under way with the Qataris and Turks about management of the airport. We must demand that access to the airport is safe.”

The US FAA said on Monday that since the US withdrawal, US civilian aircraft have been suspended from operating in the country unless previously authorized.

The FAA said in a statement that “due to the lack of both air traffic services and a functioning civil aviation authority in Afghanistan, as well as ongoing security concerns, US civil operators, pilots and US registered civil aircraft have been suspended.”

Earlier this month, the US military said it had taken over air traffic control in Kabul to facilitate the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan.

The FAA said US civilian jets could continue to use a high-altitude jet route near the Far Eastern border for overflight. Any American civil aircraft operator wishing to fly in or out of Afghanistan must obtain permission from the FAA.

On August 18 this year, the FAA said US air carriers and civilian pilots could fly to Kabul for evacuation or relief flights with prior approval from the U.S. Department of Defense.

US airlines helped transport thousands of displaced people this month but operated flights from airports outside Afghanistan.