Al-Riyan airport in the Hadramaut provincial capital of al-Mukalla is preparing to resume operations after a four-year stoppage, local officials said.

The airport was heavily damaged when al-Qaeda seized control of the port city in 2015, and all operations ceased.

Speaking at an April 24th ceremony marking the third anniversary of the Hadramaut coast's liberation from al-Qaeda, Hadramaut governor Maj. Gen. Faraj Salmeen al-Bahsani declared the airport ready to resume operations.
The airport will be opened and the first flights will take off "very soon", he said.

Al-Qaeda seized control of al-Mukalla and parts of the Hadramaut coast on April 2nd, 2015. Hadramaut Elite Forces, backed by the Arab coalition, and Emirati forces in particular, liberated these areas on April 24th, 2016.

"Hadramaut province is currently holding a variety of celebrations to mark the third anniversary of the liberation of coastal Hadramaut from al-Qaeda’s control," said 2nd Military Zone spokesman Hisham al-Jabri.

This includes a number of service-related projects, he said, adding that al-Riyan airport's restoration is "one of the greatest achievements yielded by the liberation of al-Mukalla from al-Qaeda, with the support of the Arab coalition".