Damascus, Jan 5 (IANS): Egypt dispatched a relief plane to Syria's capital Damascus, the first since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government early last month.

The EgyptAir civilian plane carried 15 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, including food and medicine, provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent to the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

The charge d'affaires of the Egyptian embassy in Damascus received the aid at the airport, the statement added.

The aid is part of Egypt's efforts to support the Syrian people, given the two countries' historical ties, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier, Ashhad al-Salibi, chairman of the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, announced that Syria's Damascus International Airport will begin receiving international flights starting Tuesday,

Al-Salibi on Saturday told Syria's SANA state news agency that the authorities are in the process of fully rehabilitating the airports in Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo to accommodate international flights.

Operations at the airports were suspended following the overthrow of Syria's Bashar al-Assad administration last month.

Qatar Airways said on Thursday it will resume flights to Damascus as of Tuesday.

The airline announced it will operate three weekly flights to the city, which it described as having "great historical and cultural importance."

Qatar Airways Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said in a statement that the move underscores the airline's commitment to fostering connectivity and facilitating travel for passengers.

Qatar reopened its embassy in Damascus on December 21, 2024, following the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government on December 8. The embassy had been closed since 2011, after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.

On December 30, the first Qatari direct aid flight arrived at Damascus International Airport.