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After two-year suspension, US and EU carriers allowed to overfly Afghanistan
In the coming weeks, the travel time between the East, including India, and the West will be significantly reduced, especially after key aviation regulators allow commercial aircraft to resume flying over Afghanistan, an Indian newspaper reported on Friday.
The overfly suspension came after the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) resumed control of the country in 2021.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted permission to American airlines to fly over the Kabul Flight Information Region (FIR) at altitudes exceeding 32,000 feet, Economic Times reported.
This decision comes as the FAA assesses reduced risks to US civil aviation operations at higher altitudes in the region. The move aligns with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) directive to its member state airlines, urging them not to fly below 32,000 feet due to ongoing potential threats to civil aviation and high operational risks at lower altitudes, the report said.
Since August 2021, flights between the western and eastern regions, including northern India, have taken longer routes to circumvent Afghanistan airspace. These diversions added approximately half an hour of flying time. The situation further escalated last summer when Russia’s attack on Ukraine prompted additional airspace restrictions, leading to Western carriers avoiding Russian airspace altogether. With the recent reopening of Afghanistan’s airspace for overflights, one section of the congested air route is finally relieved, according to the report.
Following the IEA’s takeover of Afghanistan, the International Civil Aviation Organisation Asia-Pacific office established a Contingency Coordination Team (CCT) consisting of Afghanistan and neighboring air navigation service providers.
Officials from Indian airlines, however, assert that it might take some time before overflying Afghanistan is resumed. They highlight the need for a comprehensive risk analysis and the development of emergency landing procedures at Afghan airports.
Additionally, the involvement and cooperation of neighboring countries such as Pakistan and Turkmenistan are vital, as aircraft would need to enter Afghanistan from these directions at specified altitudes. While the FAA clearance is a significant step forward and may prompt other aviation regulators to follow suit, airlines are cautious, awaiting further developments and approvals. The Association for America Airlines, representing major US carriers, is currently reviewing the updated rules.
Former U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, says Washington is largely satisfied with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s (IEA) efforts against terrorism, though progress in broader relations remains hindered by the issue of prisoners.
In an interview with NDTV, Khalilzad said the United States views the detention of at least two American citizens in Afghanistan as the primary obstacle to improving ties.
Khalilzad highlighted what he described as a “significant degree of satisfaction” in the U.S. assessment of the IEA’s counterterrorism commitments under the Doha Agreement. He said the IEA continue to fight Daesh, a group they have long considered an enemy. Many Daesh militants, he added, have been pushed out of Afghanistan and are now in Pakistan.
At the same time, Khalilzad said concerns remain regarding human rights and the political role of non-IEA Afghans.
The Ministry of National Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has rejected recent accusations made by Pakistani officials following a deadly attack at a mosque in Islamabad, calling them “irresponsible” and “baseless.”
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif wrote on X that preliminary findings suggest the suicide bomber had been on the move to and from Afghanistan.
According to the Afghan Defense Ministry, Pakistan’s defense minister “immediately and irresponsibly” blamed Afghanistan for the attack without conducting proper investigations. Afghan authorities noted that this pattern has been repeated in the past, particularly regarding incidents in Balochistan and other security events inside Pakistan.
The ministry stated that linking such attacks to Afghanistan “has no logic or foundation,” adding that these statements cannot hide Pakistan’s internal security failures or help solve the underlying problems.
“If they were truly able to identify the perpetrators immediately after the incident, then why were they unable to prevent it beforehand?” the statement asked.
The Afghan government emphasized its commitment to Islamic values, stating it does not consider harm against innocent civilians permissible under any circumstances and does not support those involved in illegal acts.
The statement urged Pakistani security officials to take responsibility for their internal security shortcomings, review their policies, and adopt a more constructive and cooperative approach toward both their own citizens and neighboring countries.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has strongly condemned Friday’s suicide bombing at a Shi’ite mosque in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, which left 31 people dead and 179 others wounded.
Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that the Islamic Emirate considers such attacks—which violate the sanctity of religious rites and mosques and target worshippers and civilians—to be contrary to Islamic and human values.
The Islamic Emirate also expressed sympathy with the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.
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