Qamishli International Airport

History

Although the airport was closed to civilians around October 2015, it has been reopened again, and Syrian flight companies including Cham Wings Airlines and Syrian Air have provided regular flights into Qamishli from Damascus, Latakia and Beirut until November 2024. The airport used to receive seasonal foreign flights from Germany and Sweden. On 21 January 2016, Russia's activity presumably aimed at setting up a new military base in the government-controlled and mainly abandoned airport was first reported.

On 7 December 2024, a day prior the fall of the Assad regime, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) took control of the airport following the withdrawal of pro-regime militants. A few days later, rumours alleged that Israeli airstrikes targeted weapons depots left in the facility. However Turkey's MIT intelligence service claimed responsibility for the attack, as they detected that the "YPG seized the military supplies and was taking them to its own warehouses". Later that month, on 16 December, two Russian Ilyushin military transport planes withdrew from the airport. As of June 2025 the airport serves as a military outpost for the Russian military. In January 2026, Russian troops withdrew from Qamishli during the ceasefire between the Syrian transitional government and the SDF.

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 1480 ft above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 03/21 with an asphalt surface measuring 3615 x.

Airlines and destinations

As of January 2026, Qamishli Airport is closed and has no civilian flights flying from it.

References

References

1. {{usurped
2. {{GCM. KAC
3. "Landmark SDF deal hailed as positive step for Syria and Kurds".
4. (21 October 2015). "Hasakah's Qamishli International Airport now closed to civilians".
5. "Qamishli - Cham Wings".
6. (21 January 2016). "Russians survey new airbase on Syria-Turkey border, US officials concerned". [[Fox News Channel]].
7. (23 January 2016). "Россия и США синхронно создают новые авиабазы на севере Сирии". NEWSru.
8. (22 January 2016). "U.S. officials: Russia looking at Syria airfield near Turkey". CNN.
9. (7 December 2024). "انسحاب قوات النظام من القامشلي والحسكة لصالح سوريا الديمقراطية". Nabd.
10. Omer, Zana. (11 December 2024). "VOA Kurdish: Israeli strikes on Syrian military bases target weapons". Voice of America.
11. (2024-12-10). "Turkey hits military supplies under Kurdish control in north Syria, security source says". Reuters.
12. (16 December 2024). "Russia forces withdraw from Syria’s Qamishli airport". Middle East Monitor.
13. Shapira, Boaz. (2025-06-12). "Renewed Russian Entrenchment in Northeastern Syria – Qamishli".
14. (26 January 2026). "Russian Forces Withdraw from Qamishlo, Kurdistan24 Reports". Kurdistan 24.