Farkhor Air Base
Military base in Farkhor, Tajikistan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Farkhor Air Base is a military airfield located near the town of Farkhor in Tajikistan, 130 kilometres (81 mi) southeast of the capital Dushanbe.[1]
| Farkhor Air Base | |
|---|---|
| Farkhor, Tajikistan | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Military base |
| Owner | Tajikistan Air Force |
| Controlled by | Tajikistan Air Force |
| Location | |
  Farkhor Air Base Location within Tajikistan | |
| Coordinates | 37.4701°N 69.3809°E |
| Site history | |
| Materials | Asphalt |
| Garrison information | |
| Occupants | Tajikistan Air Force |
Farkhor was reported by Indian media outlets as country's first military base outside its territory.[2][1] India operated a field hospital at Farkhor in the late-1990s and early-2000s, which was closed after the establishment of NATO-led ISAF mission.[3]
History
In 1996–97, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) started negotiations with Tajikistan to use the Farkhor Air Base to transport high-altitude military supplies to the Afghan Northern Alliance, service their helicopters and gather intelligence. At that time, India operated a small military hospital in the Farkhor region.[1] The hospital at Farkhor was used to treat Afghan Northern Alliance members injured in fighting with the Taliban, including military leader Ahmed Shah Massoud, who was rushed there after a suicide attack against him.[4]
In 2002, India acknowledged that it was setting up an air base in Farkhor[5] with Russian assistance.[6][7] As of 2015, there has not been any evidence of Indian Air Force presence at Farkhor.[3]