Taliban writes to DGCA seeking resumption of commercial flights between India and Kabul

The Taliban has written to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) seeking resumption of commercial flights between India and Kabul.

A letter from them has been received by the government and is under review by the Civil Aviation Ministry, news agency ANI reported.

India had stopped all commercial flight operations to Kabul after August 15, when the Taliban swept into the Afghan capital and took effective control of the country.

Taliban spokesman Abdul Qahar Balkhi told news agency Reuters that suspension of international flights had left Afghans stranded abroad and prevented people from travelling for work or study.

"As problems at Kabul International Airport have been resolved and the airport is fully operational for domestic and international flights, the IEA (Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan) assures all airlines of its full cooperation," he was quoted as saying by Reuters.

The statement came as the Taliban steps up efforts to open up Afghanistan and gain international acceptance, as well as jumpstart a national economy on brink of collapse.

So far only a limited number of aid and passenger flights have been operating out of Kabul.

A few other airlines have begun offering some services but with severely limited options and prices remain many times higher than normal, according to Reuters.

After the Taliban's takeover, the government operated several flights from Kabul - in co-ordination with the Air Force and commercial airlines – to bring back hundreds of citizens as well as refugees and foreigners

Kabul airport was damaged during the evacuation operations, but repairs have been carried out with the assistance of technical teams from Qatar and Turkey.