Peshawar Air Station

Peshawar Air Station is a former Central Intelligence Agency^[1]-United States Air Force Security Service listening post, used by the 6937th Communications Group from 1958 until January 7, 1970, when the facility was formally closed.^[2] It was located in Badaber, a remote area about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the city of Peshawar, Pakistan.

History

U2 Incident

Peshawar Air Station was used as the communication station for the ill-fated May 1, 1960, flight of a Lockheed U-2 spy plane, piloted by Gary Powers, which was shot down over the Soviet Union.

Afghan War

The former station was later used as a training camp for Afghan mujahideen as part of Operation Cyclone, a CIA-run program to train and arm Afghan mujahideen to fight against the Soviet Union and the Soviet-supported Republic of Afghanistan (RA) in the Soviet war in Afghanistan, 1979 to 1989.^[3] It was the site of the Badaber Uprising of 1985, an armed uprising by Soviet and RA prisoners of war held captive at the camp.^[4]

Current

Currently, the base is housed by Pakistan Air Force and is known as PAF Camp Badaber.

Coordinates: 33°57′28″N 71°34′25″E / 33.957884°N 71.573653°E / 33.957884; 71.573653

References

1. ↑ Abida Ejaz (2010). "Exploitation in the name of religion: The case of Pakistan". In Bogusława Bednarczyk. Religia a współczesne stosunki międzynarodowe. Krakow Educational Association. p. 209. ISBN 978-8-3757-1101-1. Retrieved 6 August 2013. 
2. ↑ History of the base during American use. Peshawar Air Station Alumni Association.
3. ↑ Eduardo Real. "Zbigniew Brzezinski, Defeated by his Success".
4. ↑ Роман Шкурлатов (Roman Shkurlatov). "Архив: Последнее па Пешаварского вальса" ("Archive: Last step of the Peshawar waltz"). Bratishka magazine, July, 2006. (Russian)