Syria and Saudi Arabia resume regular commercial flights as part of a thaw in relations

Regular flights between the Syrian capital of Damascus and Saudi Arabia have resumed for the first time in more than a decade as part of a thaw in relations between the countries. Syria and Saudi Arabia had severed ties in 2012 over President Bashar Assad’s brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters. But most Arab countries have restored diplomatic ties with Damascus, which was readmitted to the 22-member Arab League last year. In May, Syrian pilgrims traveled on a direct flight to Saudi Arabia for the annual Islamic Hajj pilgrimage, but Wednesday’s Syrian Airlines flight to Riyadh marked the return of regular commercial flights.