UZBEKISTAN has evicted the United States from a military base that has served as a hub for combat and humanitarian missions to Afghanistan since shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Washington Post reported today.
A notice to leave Karshi-Khanabad air base, also known as K2, was delivered by a courier from the Uzbek Foreign Ministry to the US Embassy in Tashkent, the newspaper said, citing an unnamed senior US administrative official involved in Central Asia policy.
Uzbekistan will give the United States 180 days to move aircraft, personnel and equipment, the newspaper said.
It said the United States expects Uzbekistan to follow through on the eviction notice and the action would create logistical problems for US operations in Afghanistan.
A Pentagon spokesman had no immediate comment on the report. |