Erdogan says no decision yet on Taliban request for Turkish help at the airport

Turkey has not made a final decision on a Taliban request for support to run the Kabul airport after foreign forces withdraw over security concerns and uncertainty there, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, adding talks were still underway.

Officials told Reuters this week that the Taliban had asked Turkey for technical help to run the airport but demanded that Ankara’s military pullout by an Aug. 31 deadline. The military began evacuations on Wednesday.

“The Taliban have made a request regarding the operation of the Kabul airport. They say, ‘We’ll ensure security and you can operate it’. But we have not made a decision yet because there is always a possibility of death and such things there,” Erdogan told a news conference before departing for a visit to Bosnia.