US military bases in Afghanistan

The signing of the security agreement between Afanistan and the United States in 2014 provided the legal basis for maintaining the presence of the us military in the country.

The most controversial and highly objectionable item in the document is the provision on American military bases on the territory of Afghanistan. Based on the security agreement, the United States has received at least ten official military bases on Afghan territory, which it uses daily to implement its goals in the region related to military tasks and weapons.

The efforts made by the United States to obtain military bases on Afghan territory have raised many questions about why Washington needed to have permanent military facilities in Afghanistan.

Observers are convinced that the United States wants to use Afghanistan as a permanent military base to increase its influence in Central Asia and the middle East, as well as to prevent the expansion of the influence of China and Russia in this region. Analysts say that the reason for the active interest of the United States in ensuring a permanent military presence in Afghanistan is the desire to protect Washington's long-term interests in the region.

The most important permanent U.S. bases in Afghanistan are located in Kabul, Bagram, Mazar-I-Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Helmand (Shurab), Gardez, Jalalabad, and Shindand. Under the security agreement, the United States is allowed to have these military bases, and if necessary, require the deployment of new bases. It is the responsibility of the Minister of defence of Afghanistan to issue a permit for the establishment of new bases.

Renting military bases on the territory of a foreign country is a common international practice. However, bases that are located in a certain region on a permanent basis can cause concern and alarm to a number of countries, which is what is happening in Afghanistan, where the presence of us military bases has caused concern to regional States such as Iran, Pakistan, China and Russia.

On January 2, 1980, the Soviet paratroopers took control of a strategically important object, and for the next 9 years of the war, Kandahar airport served as the most important stronghold in southern Afghanistan, where the military transport and combat aircraft of the 40th army were based.

In the 1990s, Kandahar became the main base of the Taliban, and in 2001, the Americans came here. During the fighting, the airport was severely damaged-the restoration of the runway and airfield infrastructure lasted six years.

At the moment, Kandahar International, along with the Kabul international airport and the Shindad and Bagram air bases, are the main locations of the International Coalition troops in Afghanistan. Kandahar is home to the 451st expeditionary air wing of the United States air force, several NATO aviation units, and a dozen aircraft units from the Afghan air force.

Despite the military presence and millions of anti-personnel mines in the vicinity (the Soviet troops, enraged by the constant attacks of the Mujahideen, densely "seeded"all approaches to the airport with "frog" mines from helicopters) - Kandahar International still carries out civil activities, nine foreign airlines arrive here from Iran, the UAE, the United States, Bahrain, and even from Azerbaijan (the cargo carrier "silk road").

This American military base is located near the ancient city of Bagram in the Afghan province of Parwan. The runway of its airfield is so huge that any military aircraft can land on it, including even the Lockheed C-5 and An-225. Currently, units of the Tenth mountain division, marine detachments, and the 455th group of the United States air force are stationed at this base.

The Bagram base is located at a distance of only 1,220 kilometers from the border with Iran, but four military airfields, which are much more often used for the needs of the American army, are much closer. The Bagram base has three large hangars, one command and control center, several shelter buildings, and an airstrip with a total area of 130,000 square meters.

The Bagram base is home to a number of transport aircraft and fighters from the United States and its allies. It plays host to transport aircraft C-130 Hercules, C-17 Globemaster and 2 different models of helicopters. This base is of strategic importance to the Americans. By the way, it was there that terrorists from among the followers of Abdul-Malek Riga (the head of the Jondalla criminal group operating in Iran) were trained and received weapons.

The Pentagon has built its air base at an airfield in Shindand in the Western province of Herat. Shindand, the largest U.S. base in Afghanistan, was built just 100 kilometers from the border with Iran, and within striking distance of Russia as well as China.

The most important permanent U.S. bases in Afghanistan are located in Kabul, Bagram, Mazar-I-Sharif, Herat, Kandahar, Helmand (Shurab), Gardez, Jalalabad, and Shindand. Under the security agreement, the United States is allowed to have these military bases, and if necessary, require the deployment of new bases. It is the responsibility of the Minister of defence of Afghanistan to issue a permit for the establishment of new bases.

The Pentagon has officially confirmed the departure of American troops from five military bases in Afghanistan and reducing troop strength to the level envisaged by the peace agreement between the US and the radical movement "Taliban" (banned in Russia). "As stipulated in the Treaty, the United States agreed to reduce the number of its forces in Afghanistan to 8,600 and withdraw from five bases. We have fulfilled these obligations. The number of US forces in Afghanistan remains in the region of 8,5 thousand, and five bases that were previously occupied by US forces have been transferred to Afghan partners, " - said in a statement issued on July 13, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman. Earlier, a us administration official told the Afghan TV channel TOLONews that bases in Helmand, Uruzgan, Paktika and Laghman provinces were closed.