Damascus: Aleppo airport, one of the important airports of Syria, reopened Wednesday after the close down of eight years reports Efe news. Russian troops regained the control of Aleppo’s countryside from rebels this week and Transport Minister Ali Hammoud told a group of journalists accompanied his first flight from Damascus to Aleppo.

The airfield is ready to start receiving aeroplanes and passengers from and to Aleppo. Aleppo airport used to have a capacity of 2.5 million passengers annually. In December 2012, civilian flights were suspended after the opposition captured the city. The Syrian army regained control of the city four years later and authorities started refurbishing the airport.

For the re-opening of the M5 highway linking Damascus to Aleppo efforts are still underway.