U.S. Says Loss Of Base Won't Affect Afghan Operations

U.S. troops at Kyrgyzstan's Manas airfield (file photo) 1 August 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The U.S. military said today that Uzbekistan's decision asking Washington to vacate the base at Khanabad --> http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2005/7/F30BA0CE-CE97-47A1-9116-E27D25BBCE8A.html will not affect operations in Afghanistan.

The Uzbek government gave the U.S. military permission to use the base for operations in nearby Afghanistan shortly after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

On 29 July, the Uzbek government requested the U.S. leave the base within six months.

Speaking in Afghanistan, U.S. Colonel James Yonts said the ability of U.S. forces to operate in Afghanistan would not be affected by the Uzbek government's decision.

Yonts said operations would be reorganized to use at bases in Afghanistan and at Kyrgyzstan's Manas airfield.

(AP/Reuters)

See also:

Kyrgyzstan: Air Base Expected To Dominate Rumsfeld Talks

Afghanistan: Inconsistencies In The State Of The War On Terrorism

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