Khost Airport

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Khost Airport

د خوست هوايي ډګر
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerAfghanistan
OperatorAfghan Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation
ServesLoya Paktia-Waziristan region
LocationKhost, Afghanistan
Elevation AMSL3,760 ft / 1,146 m
Coordinates33°20′01″N 069°57′09″E / 33.33361°N 69.95250°E / 33.33361; 69.95250 (Khost Airport (Khost))Coordinates: 33°20′01″N 069°57′09″E / 33.33361°N 69.95250°E / 33.33361; 69.95250 (Khost Airport (Khost))
Map
KHT is located in Afghanistan
KHT
KHT
Location of airport in Afghanistan
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 8,858 1,859 Asphalt
Sources: Landings.com,[1] motca.gov.af[2]

Khost Airport (Pashto: د خوست هوايي ډګر; IATA: KHT, ICAO: OAKS) is located next to the city of Khost in eastern Afghanistan.[3] It has been used historically for military purposes but in recent years it was developed and expanded to be used also for commercial flights.[4]

The airport is to be called Khost International Airport in the near future.[4] It will serve residents of Loya Paktia and the Waziristan region in neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.[5]

In August 2021, security forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban) took control of the airport after the NATO-trained Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) surrendered.[6]

Airlines and destinations[]

As of October 2019, Kam Air scheduled its first domestic flight from KABUL>KHOST airport.[7]

Weekly flights take place, with a flight from Kabul > Khost every Thursday. Fares starting from $65, One way.

History[]

The airport was expanded by the Soviet Union during the 1980s Soviet–Afghan War.[8] It was further expanded during the U.S.-led war. The United States built a military base there known as Forward Operating Base Chapman.

There had been three major reported accidents, all of them during the 1980s mujahideen fighting and involved Russian-made Antonov An-26 aircraft.[9]

In December 2009, seven CIA employees were killed in a suicide attack at the nearby Forward Operating Base Chapman (FOB Chapman). The bomber, Humam Balawi of Jordan, wore a suicide vest and blew himself up in the base, killing the base commander, CIA agents and civilian contractors.

Work to improve the Khost Airport began in late 2011.[10] Civilian passengers between Khost and Kabul were allowed to use NATO's Sehra Bagh Airport until Khost Airport was completed.[11] The airport will become international in the near future, taking passengers to and from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).[4]

The airport was inaugurated officially on July 11, 2021 by Afghan president Mohammad Ashraf Ghani,[12] who was there to personally welcome passengers of a flight from Dubai in the UAE. On September 11, 2021, Pakistan and the UAE delivered food and medicine supplies at the airport.[13]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Airport record for Khost Airport at Landings.com. Retrieved 2013-8-1
  2. ^ Khost (OAKS)
  3. ^ "OAKS - Khost Airport | SkyVector". skyvector.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  4. ^ a b c "'Khost airport project work not up to standard'". Pajhwok Afghan News. 28 January 2017. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  5. ^ "Evaluation Delegation 'bypassed' in Khost Airport contract". Pajhwok Afghan News. February 27, 2019. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  6. ^ "The Latest: US aims to secure Kabul airport for departures". AP NEWS. 2021-08-15. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
  7. ^ "Khost Chapman Airport Profile | CAPA". centreforaviation.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  8. ^ Warrick, Joby, The Triple Agent, New York: Doubleday, 2011. p. 26
  9. ^ http://aviation-safety.net/database/airport/airport.php?id=KHT Aviation-Safety.net
  10. ^ "Construction work on Khost airport launched". Pajhwok Afghan News. 21 September 2011. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  11. ^ "Kabul-Khost flights formally begin". Pajhwok Afghan News. 11 January 2014. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
  12. ^ "President Ghani Inaugurates Khost International Airport". Bakhtar News Agency. July 11, 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-11.
  13. ^ "Pakistani plane brings food aid to Khost". Pakhwok Afghan News. September 11, 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-11.

External links[]


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