DEIR AL-ZOUR, Syria, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- The first direct commercial flight from Kuwait landed Wednesday at Deir al-Zour International Airport in eastern Syria, marking the return of international commercial air services to the airport after more than a decade.

The flight, operated by Syrian Airlines, carried passengers from Kuwait, home to a large Syrian expatriate community, in what authorities described as another step in Syria's efforts to restore its civil aviation network and reconnect eastern parts of the country with regional destinations.

Mustafa Khairallah, director of media at the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, told Xinhua that the inaugural flight marked the airport's return to its normal operational role.

Khairallah added that the route would significantly ease travel for residents of the province by reducing the need to transit through other airports or undertake lengthy overland journeys.

Commercial operations at the airport were suspended in 2013 after the facility was heavily damaged during Syria's conflict. Syrian authorities began rehabilitation work on the airport in early 2025, with a test flight from Damascus landing in February that year.