View source for Shamsi airfield

{{Infobox Military Structure
|name= Shamsi airfield
|partof = 
|location= [[Balochistan (Pakistan)|Balochistan]], [[Pakistan]]
|coordinates={{Coord|27|51|0|N|65|10|0|E|type:airport|display=inline,title}}
|image= 
|caption=  
|type= Civil airfield allegedly in use for covert military operations
|code=
|built=
|builder=
|materials=
|height=
|used= 
|demolished=  
|condition= 
|ownership= 
|controlledby=[[Government of Pakistan]] ([[Pakistan Air Force|PAF]])
|garrison= 
|commanders=
|occupants= [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (alleged)
|battles=
|events=
}}
[[File:Image said to be Predator drone aircraft at Shamsi Airbase in Pakistan -- no longer available on Google Earth..jpg|thumb|right|Satellite image of Shamsi puports to show three Predator aircraft on a parking ramp.]]
'''Shamsi airfield''', also called ''Bandari'', is a small [[Pakistan Air Force|Air Force]]'s airfield and air station located in [[Balochistan (Pakistan)|Balochistan]], [[Pakistan]], about 200 miles (320&nbsp;km) southwest of [[Quetta]] near the town of Washki.  In 2009 media reports alleged that the airfield was used by the United States [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA) as a base for [[MQ-1 Predator|Predator]] [[Drone attacks on Pakistan by the United States of America|drone attacks]] on militants in Pakistan's [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas]].

The airfield was constructed at an unknown date and used for years by Arab sheiks from Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries for [[falconry]] trips.  During the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|War in Afghanistan]], US special forces used the airfield as a base between 2001 and 2006.

On January 9, 2002 a [[United States Marine Corps]] [[KC-130]] aircraft crashed on approach to Shamsi.  All seven crewmembers were killed in the crash.

In February 2009, ''[[The Times]]'' (London) announced that it had obtained [[Google Earth]] images from 2006 which showed Predator aircraft parked outside a hangar at the end of the runway.  The ''Times'' investigation was in response to a statement by US Senator [[Dianne Feinstein]] that the CIA was basing its drone aircraft in Pakistan.  The U.S. company [[Blackwater Worldwide|Blackwater]] was also reported to have a presence there, hired by the government to arm the drones with missiles.<ref name=NYT>{{cite news |first=Jane |last=Perlez |title=U.S. Push to Expand in Pakistan Meets Resistance |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/world/asia/06islamabad.html?hp |publisher= The New York Times |date=2009-10-05 |accessdate=2009-10-05}}</ref>  The Pakistan government has denied that the airfield is being used as a base for US military or covert operations.  ''[[The New York Times]]'' cited a senior Pakistani military official as saying that in 2009 the drone operations were moved across the border to Afghanistan.<ref name=NYT/>

==References==
*{{cite web
 | last = Cable News Network
 | first = 
 | date = January 9, 2002
 | url = http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/01/09/ret.frontlines.facts/index.html
 | title = Pentagon investigates KC-130 crash
 | work = [[CNN]]
 | accessdate = February 20, 2009
}}
*{{cite news
 | last = Coghlan
 | first = Tom
 | date = February 17, 2009
 | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5755490.ece
 | title = Secrecy and denial as Pakistan lets CIA use airbase to strike militants
 | format = Newspaper article
 | work = [[The Times]]
 | location = London
 | accessdate = February 20, 2009
}}
*{{cite web
 | last = GlobalSecurity.org
 | first = 
 | year = 2009
 | url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/shamsi.htm
 | title = Shamsi, Pakistan
 | work = [[GlobalSecurity.org]]
 | accessdate = February 20, 2009
}}
*{{cite web
 | last = Hussain
 | first = Javed
 | date = February 16, 2009
 | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/16/AR2009021600002.html
 | title = Suspected U.S. drone hits militant nest in Pakistan
 | format = Newspaper article
 | work = [[Washington Post]] (Reuters)
 | accessdate = February 20, 2009
}}
*{{cite news
 | last = Page
 | first = Jeremy
 | date = February 19, 2009
 | url = http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5762371.ece
 | title = Google Earth Reveals Secret History Of US Base In Pakistan
 | format = Newspaper article
 | work = [[The Times]]
 | location = London
 | accessdate = February 20, 2009
}}

===See Also===
*[[Shahid Bashir]]
===Notes===
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Airfields]]
[[Category:Military facilities of Pakistan|S]]
[[Category:Pakistan Air Force bases]]
[[Category:War on Terror]]
[[Category:Counter-terrorism policy of the United States]]
[[Category:Counter-terrorism]]
[[Category:2009 in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Airports in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Pakistan – United States relations]]
[[Category:War in Afghanistan (2001–present)]]
[[Category:Central Intelligence Agency]]


{{Pakistan-stub}}
[[Category:2Fix]]