Kabul International Airport Explained

Kabul International Airport
Iata:	KBL
Icao:	OAKB
Type:	Public
Owner:	Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation
Operator:	GAAC Holding
City-Served:	Kabul
Location:	Kabul, Afghanistan
Hub:	Ariana Airlines Kam Air
Metric-Elev:	Yes
Elevation-F:	5877
Pushpin Map:	Afghanistan #South Asia#West Asia#Asia
Pushpin Mapsize:	270
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location of the airport in Afghanistan
Pushpin Label:	KBL/OAKB
Image Mapsize:	270
Image Map Caption:	A 2015 United States Air Force diagram of the airport
Metric-Rwy:	Yes
R1-Number:	11/29
R1-Length-M:	3511
R1-Surface:	Paved
Footnotes:	Source: AIP Afghanistan^[1]

Kabul International Airport is located in the northern part of Kabul, Afghanistan. It is one of the country's main international airports, capable of housing over a hundred military and civilian aircraft. It is currently operated by UAE-based GAAC Holding and Afghanistan's Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation.^[2]

The airport was originally named as Khwaja Rawash Airport because it was built in the area named Khwaja Rawash. It was given the name Kabul Airport in 1960 after the Soviet Union built a terminal and a concrete runway. From 2014 to 2021, it was named Hamid Karzai International Airport in honor of former President Hamid Karzai. After the Taliban returned to power in 2021, the name was changed back to Kabul International Airport.

Sitting at an altitude of approximately above sea level, the airport is surrounded by parts of the Hindu Kush mountains.^[3] It serves as a hub for Ariana Airlines and Kam Air. International companies such as Air Arabia, Flydubai and Turkish Airlines also provide passenger services.^[4]

The airport has two separate terminals, one for international passengers and the other for domestic flights. It also has a number of empty military bases, which were previously used by the United States Armed Forces and NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and later the Resolute Support Mission (RS). The Afghan Air Force also had a base at the airport,^[5] with the Afghan National Security Forces providing security inside the passenger terminals.

Prior to the withdrawal of US-led forces in 2021, the airport provided scheduled flights to and from China, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and the Persian Gulf region. The most frequently serviced destination from the airport has been Dubai in the UAE, with no fewer than four passenger airlines flying the route, and some with multiple daily flights.^{[6] [7]}

Other nearby major airports to Kabul are Bagram Air Base in neighboring Parwan Province to the north, Jalalabad Airport in Nangarhar Province to the east, Khost International Airport in Khost Province to the southeast, and Bamyan Airport in Bamyan Province to the northwest.

History

Kabul Airport was originally built during the Kingdom of Amanullah Khan in the 1920s, which housed aircraft of the Afghan Air Force and Afghan Post. It was modernized in 1960 by Soviet engineers.^[8] The airport was locally named Khwaja Rawash Airport because it was built in the area called Khwaja Rawash.^{[9] [10]} Foreign tourists began visiting Afghanistan via Kabul Airport. This era ended after the 1978 Saur Revolution, especially after the 1979 Soviet invasion.^[11]

The airport was used by the Soviet Army during the Soviet–Afghan War from 1979 to 1989, and by the military forces of the former President of Afghanistan, Mohammad Najibullah. Control of the airport switched between different sides during the civil war after 1992. By November 1996, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan governed by Mullah Muhammad Omar was in possession of the airport, until late 2001 when they fled the city after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Due to international sanctions during the Taliban government, the airport was closed in the late 1990s, with very limited international flights.

Following the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks, Kabul Airport was bombed by United States and coalition forces. After the ISAF took over control, the airport began to be developed slowly over the years. A new radar system was installed in 2005, which was upgraded by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in 2010.^[12] A new $35 million terminal for international flights was inaugurated in November 2008, built with aid from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. This terminal has two jetbridges.The then-Afghan President Hamid Karzai attended the inauguration ceremony.^[13] The new terminal was officially opened to international flights in June 2009. The existing terminal has been refurbished and used for domestic flights.

Passenger movements reached 100,000 per year by 2010 or 300 per day. In early 2012, the radar system was upgraded to cover Afghanistan's entire air space.

In October 2014, the National Assembly of Afghanistan proposed naming the airport after former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, a month after his tenure ended, in recognition of his services and contributions to the country's rebuilding. This decision was approved by the Cabinet of the new President Ashraf Ghani, which renamed the structure as Hamid Karzai International Airport.^[14]

The North Side Cantonment – Kabul Airport facility was completed and turned over to the United States Armed Forces in October 2008. It houses the command facilities for the Afghan Air Force (AAF), and includes housing, administrative, operations, maintenance and recreation facilities. The project included two new hangar complexes, a new taxiway and ramps. It is the headquarters and main base (1st or 201st Wing) of the Afghan Air Force. The first hangar facility was turned over to the AAF in January 2008. The second hangar was completed later that year.

2021 NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan

In July 2021, the Taliban took over many areas in Afghanistan, including those near Kabul Airport. Turkey announced that it would provide security at the airport.^[15] U.S. and NATO forces were still deployed at the airport as well.^[16] A few weeks later, Kabul fell into the hands of the Taliban, prompting hundreds of people to flee to the airport in an attempt to leave the country. Seven people were alleged to have died at the airport after the crowds consisting of hundreds of people tried to forcibly enter planes leaving the airport. US forces fired in the air to prevent the crowds running onto the tarmac and runways.^[17] On 16 August 2021, the US Deputy Security Advisor announced the deployment of more forces to secure the airport.^[18] The Pentagon confirmed the head of U.S. Central Command, General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., met Taliban leaders in Qatar. The Taliban officials agreed to terms set by McKenzie for refugees to flee using the Kabul International Airport.^[19]

Following the fall of Kabul, the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police abandoned their posts. U.S. and allied forces subsequently took over the posts. On 16 August 2021, all commercial flights from Kabul Airport were cancelled indefinitely.^[20]

On 26 August 2021, more than 100 people were killed in an explosion outside Kabul Airport. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility.^[21] The last American forces departed from the airport around midnight on 30 August, ending U.S. involvement in the 20-year war. The Taliban subsequently took control of the airport.^[22] Rough estimates by the Taliban calculated the damage to the airport at around $350 million.^[23] Abdul Hadi Hamadan, the Taliban head of the airport, later stated that the damage to the airport's terminal alone due to the evacuation was $1 million.^[24]

Following the Taliban takeover, the airport was closed. Much of its infrastructure had been degraded or destroyed during the evacuation. According to Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar was to send technical assistance to Afghanistan to help reopen the airport as soon as possible.^[25] Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, stated that the Taliban and other countries had requested Turkey for help in resuming operations at the airport. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Sigrid Kaag, stated that her government was willing to support Turkey and Qatar in reopening the airport.^[26] Meanwhile, the security of the airport was handed over to the Al-Fatah Brigade of the special forces of the group on 3 September.^[23]

Several novels have been published following the dramatic US evacuation from the country. Those titles include: "Life and Death at Abbey Gate", "Saving Aziz", "Always Faithful", and "Kabul".^[27]

The airport reopened for Ariana Afghan Airlines' domestic flights between Kabul and the cities of Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Kandahar, as well as for receiving aid from other countries, on 4 September, following work carried out by a technical team from Qatar, which repaired the airport's runway.^[28] Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid stated on 6 September that Turkey and Qatar were trying to restart all flights from the airport.^[29] On 8 September 2021, a NOTAM was issued by the airport's NOTAM office, indicating that the airport is operating between 03:30 and 13:30 Coordinated Universal Time. Additional NOTAMs issued that day indicate that the airports instrument landing system is operative and that the airport's tower is operating again.^[30]

A Qatar Airways flight evacuating 113 nationals of other countries from Afghanistan was allowed to land at and depart from the airport on 9 September due to cooperation between the United States and the Taliban, marking the first such flight since the Taliban had completely taken over the facility.^{[31] [32]} Meanwhile, the Taliban renamed the airport to Kabul International Airport, eliminating the reference to former Afghan President Hamid Karzai.^[31]

A Pakistan International Airlines flight landed at the airport on 13 September, marking the first international commercial flight to land since the Taliban takeover.^[33] Mahan Air resumed flights to the airport on 15 September, marking resumption of commercial flights between Iran and Afghanistan.^{[34] [35]} The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 26 September announced that the problems at the airport had been resolved and asked international airlines to resume their flights, promising full cooperation.^[36]

Facilities

The airport has two terminals: the original that opened in 1960 and a newer building that opened in 2008. The terminal that opened in 2008 is used for international flights; the original 1960 Soviet-constructed terminal is used for domestic flights. Several hangars along the runway are for military aircraft. There are no hangars for civilian (or transient) aircraft. The airport has seven helicopter pads which are used mostly for military traffic. Fire fighting equipment is present. The firefighting equipment has a present capacity of up to of water and has the ability to reach in height to manage fire outbreaks.^[37]

Transportation

Buses, taxi and private cars provide transportation to and from the airport. A four-lane highway connects the airport to Kabul.^[38]

Accidents and incidents

Civilian

• On 2 January 1962, Iran Air Flight 123, a Douglas DC-3 on a cargo flight, crashed while attempting to take-off from Kabul. During the take-off roll the captain noticed a malfunction in the number 1 engine followed by the aircraft veering to the left of the runway. To avoid a crash, the captain pulled the aircraft up into the air, but while attempting to turn the aircraft away from the airport, a wing struck the ground followed by a crash. Both crew members survived.^[39]
• On 15 January 1969, Douglas DC-3 YA-AAB of Ariana Afghan Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in a ground collision with Douglas DC-6 YA-DAN, also of Ariana.^[40]
• On 21 September 1984, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 of Ariana Afghan Airlines was hit by explosive bullets while on approach to Kabul Airport. All passengers and crew survived the incident.^[41]
• On 12 June 1990, an Ilyushin Il-76 of Aeroflot was struck by a missile while flying at 22500abbr=onNaNabbr=on causing two engines to shut down. The aircraft made a forced landing in Kabul with no flaps on an unpaved runway. All 10 crew survived.^[42]
• On 29 May 1992, an Ariana Afghan Airlines Tupolev Tu-154 was struck by a missile while landing at Kabul. The nose of the aircraft was damaged but it landed safely. All passengers and crew survived.^[43]
• On 19 March 1998, a Boeing 727-200 of Ariana Afghan Airlines crashed into the 3000abbr=onNaNabbr=on Sharki Baratayi mountain while descending into Kabul. All 10 crew and 35 passengers on board died.^[44]
• On 3 February 2005, Kam Air Flight 904, a Boeing 737-200 operated by Phoenix Aviation, vanished from radar screens on approach to Kabul in poor weather, sparking a massive Afghan National Army search operation for the 96 passengers and 8 crew. The wreckage of the aircraft was found two days later in the mountains east of Kabul, all 104 people on board had been killed.^[45]
• On 17 May 2010, all contact with Pamir Airways Flight 112, an Antonov An-24 operated by Pamir Airways, was lost ten minutes after departure from Kunduz Airport. After search efforts lasting four days, wreckage from the flight was located 12miles from Kabul. All 39 passengers and five crew on board the flight died.^[46]
• On 8 May 2014, Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 312, a Boeing 737-400, ran off the runway after landing at the airport. Flight 312 originated in Delhi, India and operated on a scheduled passenger service to Kabul. On landing the aircraft overshot runway 29, coming to rest on uneven terrain. The aircraft was heavily damaged and six passengers were slightly injured.^[47]

Military

• On 11 March 1985, an Antonov An-30 of the Soviet Air Force was on an aerial photography flight in the Kabul area south of the Panjshir Valley. Upon returning to the airport, the aircraft was struck by a Strela missile. The captain tried to make an emergency landing at Bagram Airbase but was too high. A fire ignited by the missile strike then reached the aileron controls causing the pilots to lose control; three of the five crew members evacuated the aircraft safely, but the other two crew members died.^[48]
• On 29 November 1986, a Soviet Air Force Antonov An-26 was hit by a Stinger missile while climbing out of Kabul. The aircraft was carrying several tons of S-24 rockets and 400 kg of explosives to Jalalabad in Afghanistan. All seven crew members perished.^[49]
• On 21 October 1987, a Soviet Air Force Antonov An-12BK collided with a Mil Mi-24 helicopter while taking off in poor visibility. The aircraft was heading for the capital city of then Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, Tashkent; 18 of the 19 passengers and crew died.^[50]
• On 21 December 1987, a Soviet Air Force Antonov An-26 was hit by a Stinger missile while circling to a safe altitude shortly after take-off. The number one engine was hit, puncturing the fuel tank. Smoke entered the cabin. All six crew members parachuted out; the captain jumped too close to the ground to open his parachute and died upon impact.^[51]
• On 24 June 1988, a Soviet Air Force Antonov An-26 was hit by bullets fired from Mujahideen rebels. The aircraft crashed in Kabul, killing one of the six crew members on board.^[52]
• On 28 August 1992, a Soviet Air Force Ilyushin Il-76MD was hit by a renegade Mujahideen rocket while boarding Russian embassy staff.^[53]
• On 5 August 2008, a Lockheed C-130H Hercules of the United Arab Emirates Air Force overran the runway upon landing in Kabul, causing a fire in the forward section of the aircraft. The aircraft was carrying aid to Afghanistan. All crew members survived.^[54]
• On 16 August 2021, as a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III of the United States Air Force was taking off, crowds of people trying to escape the 2021 Taliban offensive were seen running alongside and clinging onto the aircraft. The aircraft lifted up into the air with people still holding on, with at least two dying after falling from the aircraft and an unknown number possibly crushed and killed by the landing gear retracting; human remains were found in the wheel well.^{[55] [56]} The incident was widely reported in U.S. and international media.^{[57] [58] [59]}

Non-aircraft related

• On 31 August 1984, Afghan guerillas exploded a bomb at the airport where several Aeroflot planes were picking up passengers, killing 28 people and wounding 350 others.^{[60] [61]}
• On 8 September 2009, at around 8:22 AM local time, a suicide bombing took place near the entrance of the airport's military base.^{[62] [63]}
• On 3 July 2014, Taliban fighters fired two rockets into the airport, destroying four helicopters. One of the four helicopters belonged to Afghan President Hamid Karzai.^[64]
• On 29 January 2015, three American defense contractors and one Afghan national were killed by a gunman outside the airport in late evening local time.^[65]
• On 17 May 2015, a suicide bombing by the Taliban near the entrance of the airport occurred, killing three and injuring eighteen.^[66]
• On 26 August 2021, more than 185 people were killed, including at least 13 U.S. service members and 90 Afghans, at the Kabul airport when two ISIS-K^[21] suicide bombers ripped through crowds trying to enter the American-controlled facility, disrupting the final push of the U.S.-led evacuation effort. The bombs were set off near a crowd of families at the airport gates who were desperately hoping to make one of the last evacuation flights out. Gunfire was reported in the aftermath of the explosions.^{[67] [68] [69]}
• On 29 August 2021, smoke was seen rising from two explosions which occurred near the airport, one of which killed a child.^[70] Explosions occurred hours after U.S. President Joe Biden warned of another terrorist attack in Kabul.
• On 30 August 2021, thermite bombs were used to disable several counter rocket, artillery and mortar systems used to protect the airfield from incoming ISIS-K fired rockets.^[71]

See also

• List of airports in Afghanistan

External links

• PDF on rebuilding the airport
• UK Ministry of Defence Images of KBL

Notes and References

1. http://acaa.gov.af/en/page/civil-aviation-authority/atm/aip---important-information AIP Afghanistan - Important Information
2. News: Taliban to sign contract with UAE's GAAC Holding over airspace control at Afghan airports . Mohammad Yunus Yawar . Reuters . 8 September 2022 . 14 November 2022.
3. News: For Pilots, Kabul Evacuations a Flight Like No Other . Voice of America . 26 August 2021 . 2021-08-31.
4. News: Turkish Airlines Resumes Flights to Afghanistan Nearly 3 Years After the Taliban Captured Kabul . Associated Press . U.S. News & World Report . May 21, 2024 . 2024-05-21.
5. Web site: Super Tucano in Service in U.S. Air Force. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20180902052239/https://dialogo-americas.com/en/articles/super-tucano-service-us-air-force. 2018-09-02. 2018-01-16. dialogo-americas.com.
6. Web site: OAKB - Hamid Karzai International Air Airport SkyVector. 2020-08-07. skyvector.com.
7. Web site: OAKB/Hamid Karzai International Kabul General Airport Information. 2020-08-07. acukwik.com.
8. Book: Smith, Harvey Henry. 1969. Area Handbook for Afghanistan. fourth. Washington, D.C.. U.S. Government Printing Office. 35. The Kabul airport, completed in 1960.... The airport and the terminal building were constructed and financed by the Soviet Union..
9. Book: 1979. Central Asia. University of Peshawar. 17.
10. Book: Daily Report, Foreign Radio Broadcasts: Issues 160-161. 1962. Central Intelligence Agency. 22.
11. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=KgIpEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA65. 2021. Tourism Planning and Development in South Asia. Tourism in Afghaniatan. Abdul Wassay Najimi. Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International. Boopen Seetanah. Dimitrios Stylidis. 65. 9781789246698.
12. Web site: Press Releases 2010 - Embassy of the United States Kabul, Afghanistan. 1 June 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151019120014/http://kabul.usembassy.gov/pre_020310.html. 19 October 2015.
13. News: Karzai opens Kabul air terminal . BBC News . 6 November 2008.
14. News: Cabinet names Kabul Airport after Karzai. Pajhwok Afghan News. 3 October 2014. 1 June 2015.
15. News: 2021-08-11. Turkey still keen to run Kabul airport despite Taliban advance -officials. 2021-08-15. Reuters.
16. News: NATO says it is helping keep Kabul airport open for evacuations . Reuters . 15 August 2021 . 15 August 2021 . 15 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210815160948/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/nato-maintains-diplomatic-presence-kabul-despite-taliban-advances-2021-08-15/ . live.
17. Web site: Kabul airport becomes 'crisis point' as Afghans try to flee. Zaheena Rasheed,Tamila Varshalomidze,Mersiha. Gadzo. www.aljazeera.com. 16 August 2021.
18. Web site: Biden defends Afghanistan pullout amid airport chaos. aljazeera.com. 16 August 2021.
19. News: US reaches deal with Taliban over evacuations from Kabul airport, report says . The Independent . 16 August 2021.
20. Web site: 2021-08-16. All commercial flights from Kabul airport cancelled. 2021-08-16. The Statesman.
21. Web site: ISIS claims responsibility for suicide bombings in Kabul killing 12 US troops, over 70 civilians . 26 August 2021 . 26 August 2021 . 26 August 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210826134530/https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/large-explosion-at-abbey-gate-at-the-kabul-airport-report-677790 . live.
22. Web site: Taliban seize control of Kabul airport after US withdrawal. 2021-08-31. Deutsche Welle.
23. News: Yousafzai. Shahbullah. US caused $350m worth of damage to Kabul airport: Taliban official. 2021-09-04. 2021-09-28. The Express Tribune.
24. Web site: Khodaiberdi Sadat. Sayed. Guler. Bilal. Aliyev. Jehun. Kabul airport suffered damages worth millions of dollars during US withdrawal. 2021-09-15. 2021-09-16. Anadolu Agency.
25. Web site: 2021-09-02. 'As soon as possible': Qatar working with Taliban to reopen Kabul airport. 2021-09-02. Hindustan Times.
26. Web site: 2021-09-03. Turkey, Qatar lead efforts to resume Kabul airport operations. 2021-09-05. Daily Sabah.
27. Book: 978-1636243962 . Life and Death at Abbey Gate: The Fall of Afghanistan and the Operation to Save Our Allies . Cook . Mikael . 15 February 2024 . Casemate Publishers & Book Distributors, LLC.
28. Web site: Yousef. Saba. Potter. Mark. Maclean. William. Stonestreet. John. 2021-09-04. Kabul airport reopens to receive aid, domestic flights restart. 2021-09-05. Reuters. registration.
29. Web site: 2021-09-06. Turkey, Qatar work to get Kabul airport operational: Taliban. 2021-09-07. Daily Sabah.
30. Web site: OAKB. https://web.archive.org/web/20210908175511/https://www.notams.faa.gov/dinsQueryWeb/queryRetrievalMapAction.do?retrieveLocId=oakb&actionType=notamRetrievalbyICAOs. 2021-09-08. 2021-09-08. Defense Internet NOTAM Service.
31. Web site: 2021-09-10. Kathy. Gannon. Ellen. Knickmeyer. Julie. Watson. Bernard. Condon. Flight takes about 200, including Americans, out of Kabul. 2021-09-10. Associated Press.
32. Web site: 2021-09-09. First civilian flight from Kabul since US exit lands in Doha. 2021-09-11. Al-Jazeera.
33. News: 2021-09-13. Pakistani plane lands in Kabul in first commercial flight since Taliban takeover. 2021-09-14. France 24, Agence France-Presse, Associated Press. France 24.
34. Web site: Iran resumes commercial flights to Afghanistan. . 15 September 2021.
35. Web site: Iran restarts commercial flights to Afghanistan. 15 September 2021.
36. News: Taliban ask airlines to resume international flights to Afghanistan. Reuters. James. Mackenzie. Frances. Kerry. September 26, 2021. September 26, 2021. registration.
37. News: Kabul Airport to be provided with modern equipments. The Khaama Press News Agency. 6 September 2011. 1 June 2015. Zada. Ahmad Shah Ghani.
38. https://www.airport-technology.com/projects/kabul-international-airport-kabul/ Kabul International Airport, Kabul
39. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Douglas C-47-DL (DC-3) EP-ABB Kabul-Khwaja Rawash Airport (KBL) . . . 1 June 2015.
40. Web site: YA-AAB Accident Description . Aviation Safety Network . 23 January 2011.
41. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 YA-LAS Kabul . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
42. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Ilyushin 76MD CCCP-86905 Kabul . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
43. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Tupolev 154M YA-TAP Kabul . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
44. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 727-228 YA-FAZ Kabul Airport (KBL) . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
45. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-242 EX-037 Kabul . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
46. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 24B YA-PIS Salang Pass . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
47. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-4Y0 YA-PIB Kabul Airport (KBL) . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
48. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 30 05 red Kabul Airport (KBL) . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
49. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 12 registration unknown Kabul Airport (KBL) . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
50. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 12BK registration unknown Kabul Airport (KBL) . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
51. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 26 registration unknown Kabul Airport (KBL) . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
52. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Antonov 26 29 Kabul Airport (KBL) . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
53. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Ilyushin 76MD CCCP-78780 Kabul Airport (KBL) . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
54. Web site: ASN Aircraft accident Lockheed C-130H Hercules 1212 Kabul Airport (KBL) . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation . 1 June 2015.
55. Web site: 2021-08-16. Kabul airport: footage appears to show Afghans falling from plane after takeoff. 2021-08-16. the Guardian.
56. News: Cooper. Helene. Schmitt. Eric. 2021-08-17. Body Parts Found in Landing Gear of Flight From Kabul, Officials Say. The New York Times. 2021-08-18. 0362-4331.
57. Web site: Brook. Tom Vanden. Human remains, other deaths investigated in C-17 swarmed at Kabul airport. 2021-08-18. USA Today.
58. Web site: Miller. Andrew. 2021-08-17. Human remains discovered in wheel well of C-17 that departed Kabul with Afghans clinging to it. 2021-08-18. Fox News.
59. Web site: 2021-08-17. Human remains found in landing gear of military flight from Kabul, says U.S. Air Force. 2021-08-18. Reuters.
60. News: 1984-09-05. Around the World; Afghan Rebels Say They're Bombing Hotels. The New York Times. 2021-08-31. 0362-4331.
61. Book: Afghanistan in 1984: The Fifth Year of the Russo-Afghan War. Lee O. Coldren. 173. University of California Press. Asian Survey. 1985. 25. 2. 10.2307/2644300. 2644300.
62. News: Explosion shakes Afghan capital . AFP. 2009-09-08.
63. News: Car bomb explodes near military airport in Kabul . Chron. 2009-09-08.
64. Web site: Taliban Fires Rockets At Kabul Airport Burning Down Afghan President Hamid Karzai's Chopper. Sneha Shankar. 4 July 2014. International Business Times. 1 June 2015.
65. News: Gunman kills 3 American Contractors. foxnews.com. Associated Press. 29 January 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150129235155/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2015/01/29/3-american-contractors-killed-by-gunman-in-afghanistan/. 2015-01-29. dead.
66. News: Suicide bomber kills three and injures eighteen. BBC News. 17 May 2015. 17 May 2015.
67. Web site: Live Updates: Biden vows revenge for Kabul attack that killed 13 U.S. service members. 2021-08-27. www.cbsnews.com. 27 August 2021.
68. News: Rasmussen. Yaroslav Trofimov, Nancy A. Youssef and Sune Engel. 2021-08-26. Kabul Airport Attack Kills 13 U.S. Service Members, at Least 90 Afghans. Wall Street Journal. 2021-08-27. 0099-9660.
69. News: Shear. Michael D.. 2021-08-26. Live Afghanistan Updates: 'We Will Not Forgive,' Biden Says, Vowing Retaliation for Kabul Attack. The New York Times. 2021-08-27. 0362-4331.
70. News: Smoke visible across Kabul after blast near airport – video. The Guardian. 29 August 2021. 29 August 2021.
71. Web site: Inside the Final Hours at Kabul Airport. 2021-09-01. Government Executive. 31 August 2021.