ISLAMABAD (AP) -- Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad said Friday it is launching flights to Kabul, making it the latest airline to offer direct routes to the Afghan capital.

Etihad, which announced a record $476 million profit in 2024, said the new service responded to "growing demand" for travel between the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan and that the three weekly flights starting in December would support "trade, travel, and community ties."

"The UAE hosts one of the largest Afghan communities in the Gulf, with around 300,000 Afghans living and working in the country, according to the Afghan Business Council," the airline said in a statement. "The new flights will further strengthen these economic and social ties while enhancing connectivity through Abu Dhabi."

Other international carriers flying direct to Kabul include Turkish Airlines and FlyDubai.

The oil-rich UAE has forged close ties with the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan in recent years.

In June 2024, the Emirati leader, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, met a top official and Cabinet member, Sirajuddin Haqqani, who had a U.S. bounty on his head over his involvement in an attack that killed an American citizen and other assaults.

A few months later, the UAE accepted the credentials of a Taliban government ambassador.

Even though the Taliban are largely isolated from the West, due to their restrictions on women and girls, they have successfully established bilateral relations with regional powers.

In July, Russia became the first country to recognize them as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. And, on Friday, India said it was upgrading its technical mission in Kabul to a full embassy.