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Taliban allowed

to operate

Haj flights

KABUL: Taliban have been given permission to make Haj flights, the militia said on Sunday on the day one of its commercial jets went missing before landing in Uzbekistan.

Under UN sanctions imposed in November, Afghanistan's Ariana airlines is forbidden from making international flights.

But the UN Security Council on Friday granted permission for Ariana to make Haj flights to Makkah said Muslim Haqani, Deputy Minister of Haj and Religious Trusts.

The flights would be run from Kabul and the southern city of Kandahar, Haqani told the official Radio Shariat.

"The UN has given an official letter to the Islamic Emirate office in New York allowing Ariana flights from Kabul to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and back," Haqani was quoted as saying.

One Ariana official said the flights will start on Wednesday and a total 180 flights would be made.

"The flights are only for taking the Hajis. No any other cargo or passengers are allowed to be taken on the way back," said the official, who declined to be named.

He said Ariana may make another exceptional flights to Germany on February 16 to take wounded children abroad for treatment.ÑAPP