Turkey said it could secure and run the airport in Kabul after the withdrawal of US and allied troops from Afghanistan, scheduled to be complete by September 11. Turkey made the offer at a NATO meeting last month, and says it is in talks about it with NATO and the US.
“We intend to stay in Afghanistan depending on conditions. What are our conditions? Political, financial and logistical support. If these are met, we can remain at Hamid Karzai International Airport,” Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said, Reuters reported. Turkey expects the support to come from the US and NATO countries.
US President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are scheduled to meet next week on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels, which will discuss the situation in Afghanistan.