Al-Malikiyah Municipal Airfield Explained

Al-Malikiyah Municipal Airfield
Nativename:مطار مدينة المالكية
Iata:none
Icao:none
Pushpin Map:Syria
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of airport in Syria
Pushpin Label Position:bottom
Type:Public
Owner:Jazira Canton
Operator:Syrian Democratic Forces
City-Served:Al-Malikiyah, Rojava, Syria
Location:Kezimyê village
Coordinates:37.1856°N 42.2322°W
Metric-Rwy:y
R1-Length-M:810
R1-Surface:Asphalt

Al-Malikiyah Municipal Airfield (Arabic: مطار مدينة المالكية, Kurdish: Balafirgeha Dêrik şaredariyê de) is a basic aerodrome serving Al-Malikiyah (also known as Dêrik or Dayrik), a small city in far northeastern Syria. The airfield is about 8.5km (05.3miles) east of the city.

Facilities

The airport resides at an elevation of 397m (1,302feet) above mean sea level. It has one runway with an asphalt surface measuring 810mx25mm (2,660feetx82feetm). As it is predominantly used by agricultural aviation as well as for limited General aviation, it only has very basic facilities.

During Syrian Civil War

The Aerodrome is controlled by the People's Protection Units on behalf of the Jazira Canton, after they and the Women's Protection Units captured the Al-Malikiyah District at the beginning of the Syrian Civil War.

In January 2016 it was reported that the US Military were planning to create an airforce base at Rmelan or in this location in order to increase the capacity of their military training operations to upskill the Syrian Democratic Forces.[1] The airfield in Rmelan, Abu Hajar Airport is at a more advance state as its length has been extended to 1.3km (00.8miles).[2]

References

  1. News: US reportedly considering training base in northeast Syria. Mercury Media. Lebanon Now. Albin Szakola & Ullin Hope. 23 July 2016. 15 January 2016.
  2. News: Pentagon Hints at Secretive Syria Airfield: This is about as close as the U.S. military gets to saying ‘yeah, it exists’. War Is Boring. Robert Beckhusen. 23 July 2016. 7 May 2016.