Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge across the Amu Darya river on 6 March 2009.
Posts Tagged ‘Friendship Bridge’
Friendship Bridge photo
Sunday, October 9th, 2011Hairaton Gate rail port
Sunday, May 8th, 2011“Gate could open doors to something much bigger” is a 29 April 2011 report on the Hayratan border facilities by Philip Grey, military affairs reporter of The Leaf-Chronicle, who is embedded with the US 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan.
Some highlights:
- “The Hairaton Gate Border Crossing rail facility, after years of post-Soviet invasion neglect, is beginning to garner renewed attention and resources as an important piece of the economic effort in Afghanistan.”
- “Commerce and freight is moving through here – a lot of it. The majority of fuel coming into Afghanistan, for example, moves through this point”
- “the Afghans are also getting some help from Uzbek railway contractors, whom Maj. Wentworth calls some of the best in the world”
There also photos of the Hayratan facilties, and a Colin Kelly/Military Times video dated 27 April 2011 which suggest the “about 72 km” railway to Mazar-i-Sharif is operational.
There seems to be a rebranding of the Friendship Bridge as the Freedom Bridge, which I have also seen in reports elsewhere. Different name, or different translation?
A linked 30 April 2011 article (the Leaf Chronicle website’s dates seem a bit broken, changing depending where you click – I’ve found an article which apparently isn’t going to be written for another two years!), ‘Most Diverse Force’ keeps train rolling in Afghanistan, gives some more details of what is happening at the Afghan-Uzbek border:
For example, there is the mission to develop the Northern Distribution Network in Afghanistan, of which the centerpiece is the rail yard at Hairaton Gate. The 101st SB team on the ground has been tasked with teaching the Afghans how to handle the complex issues of cross-border commerce and the utilization of road and rail assets to restore the economy of the region for the long term, a mission that will greatly improve the U.S. military’s logistical situation in the near term if it is successful.
The effort requires more than logistical skills. It requires a genuine, full-fledged effort at partnering with the Afghans as equals, requiring a flexible mindset and reams of patience.
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And a 29 April 2011 story about a visit to the Friendship (or Freedom) Bridge: Afghan officials bristle at bridge photos:
Frankly, the bridge itself is no great shakes to look at, being a completely utilitarian piece of Soviet construction totally absent of any aesthetic value. In other words, it’s kind of ugly, gray and dull, which describes about 90 percent (being charitable) of everything built by the Russians during the Soviet era.
However, the bridge is a big deal to the Afghans – not because the Soviets built it, but because they used it to leave. As a matter of fact, the Afghans just celebrated that event a few days ago, on April 27.
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Opening of the Friendship Bridge, 1982
Sunday, March 13th, 2011The RIA Novosti news agency has various photos online, including these showing officials at the formal opening of the Friendship Bridge between the USSR and Afghanistan on 11 May 1982, and Soviet military use of the bridge.
- Photo #481959:
Secretary General of the Central Committee of the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan, Chairman of the Revolutionary Council of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Babrak Karmal and First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic Sharaf Rashidov at the opening ceremony of the highway and railroad bridge between the USSR and Afghanistan.
V. Chistiakov, 11.05.1982 - Photo #481950:
Babrak Karmal, general secretary of the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan and chairman of the Revolutionary Council of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, at the ceremony opening a motor and railroad bridge between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan.
V. Chistiakov, 11.05.1982 - Photo #481951:
Automobile and rail bridge across Amu Darya River between USSR and Afghanistan. The bridge is 816 meters long.
V. Chistiakov, 11.05.1982
A Soviet freight train at Hayratan, with freight being unloaded from railway vans into custom-painted lorries:
- Photo #660247:
Unloading humanitarian aid from Soviet Union. Hairaton port. Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
V. Zupharov, 01.08.1986.
And the road at the time:
- Photo #636884:
The road from Hairaton to Kabul.
V. Kiselev, 01.10.1989
The Soviet withdrawal:
- Photo #476670:
The first military convoy crosses the Friendship Bridge over the Amu Darya River during the Soviet troop pullout from Afghanistan.
V. Kiselev, 18.05.1988 - Photo #482919:
The last Soviet combat vehicle leaves Afghanistan. The USSR conducted a full pullout of its limited troop contingent from Afghanistan in compliance with the Geneva accords.
A. Solomonov, 15.02.1989 - Photo #482941:
Back to homeland. A welcome ceremony for Soviet troops returning from Afghanistan near Termez, Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic
Alexander Liskin, 06.02.1989 - Photo #644825:
Soviet troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. Soviet troop column returns to homeland.
V. Kiselev, 01.02.1989
On a railway-related subject:
- Photo #483133:
On November 1986 Moscow customs officers found 1217 of hashish in a railway container which was bound from Afghanistan to FRG. The owner of contraband goods is American company Specific International. The drug was destroyed at the training ground of the Fire Inspection Administration of the Moscow region in the presence of Soviet and foreign journalists.
Yuryi Abramochkin, 13.10.1987
Some videos of the Mazar-i-Sharif line
Sunday, January 23rd, 2011Firstly, two videos from the Asian Development Bank:
Then CNN:
And finally “On The Road in Balkh: Exploring Hairatan City” features trains from 1:22:
Construction of the Friendship Bridge
Sunday, October 17th, 2010
Just south of Termez, at Heratan, on the Amu Darya river, diplomats understand that a reinforced steel bridge is being constructed. The aim, it would seem, is to improve the roads and garrison facilities right from the Soviet border to KabulRussians switch to commando-type raids in Afghanistan, Karan Thapar, The Times, 19 September 1980, p1 and p6 (Issue 60728; col C)
Towraghondi train photos
Sunday, October 10th, 2010Some photographs by Elfstone44 showing a diesel-hauled train and a derelict carriage at Towraghondi on the border with Turkmenistan.
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And a view of the Friendship Bridge on the Uzbek border.
Another photo of the Friendship Bridge
Sunday, September 5th, 2010
The “Friendship Bridge” runs across the Amu Darya River between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The friendship bridge connects Mangusar, Uzbekistan and Hariatan, Afghanistan.(U.S. Air Force Photo By Staff Sgt. Bradley Lail) (released)
Photos of the Friendship Bridge
Sunday, August 8th, 2010Some photos on Flickr. Some of the captions refer to the “Freedom Bridge”, though the road-rail crossing of the Amu Darya between Hayratan and a point east of Termez is usually called the “Friendship Bridge”.
BALKH PROVINCE, Afghanistan (May 27, 2010) —An Afghan Border Policeman stands watch on the Freedom Bridge crossing the Amu Darya River. On 15th February, 1989 the last Soviet troops to withdraw from Afghanistan crossed the bridge into the, then, Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. The bridge now carries rail and vehicular traffic and is the only border crossing between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Mark O’Donald)
BALKH PROVINCE, Afghanistan (May 27, 2010) — General Stanley McChrystal, commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, speaks to Afghan media during a visit to the Freedom Bridge in the town of Hairatan. The bridge, which crosses the Amu Darya River between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, carries both rail and vehicular traffic. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Mark O’Donald/Released)
BALKH PROVINCE, Afghanistan (May 27, 2010) — General Stanley McChrystal, commander of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force, speaks with Afghan Border Police officials on the Freedom Bridge crossing the Amu Darya River. On 15th February, 1989 the last Soviet troops to withdraw from Afghanistan crossed the bridge into the, then Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. (U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Mark O’Donald/Released)
Heryatan – Afghan Border Police(ABP) and coalition forces tour the bridge seperating borders at 5th Zone ABP border crossing point to Uzbekistan June 8, 2010. The 5th Zone ABP guard all provinces of Regional Command North, being responsible for defending all borders against enemy threats and counter narcotics. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Staff Sergeant Matt Davis)
Developing Afghanistan – Uzbekistan transport links
Sunday, November 16th, 2008
A press release from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs detailing reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, including the development of rail and other transport links via the Friendship Bridge and Hayratan.
At the end it gives a few more details of the official visit to Uzbekistan by an Afghan delegation back in August.
On participation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan
27.10.2008 19:46 Press-Release
On participation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in post-war reconstruction of Afghanistan
Uzbekistan is taking an active part in efforts of international community aimed at enhancing stability and thorough development of Afghanistan, and attaches a significant importance to friendly and good neighborly relations with this country. It is conditioned not only by common borders but also by mutual interest of cooperation in the name of ensuring peace, stability and progress in the region.
In December 2002, the Government of Uzbekistan with a view to ensure effective provision of aid rendered by the world community to Afghanistan, adopted a resolution on opening the Hayraton bridge at the Uzbek-Afghan border. In November 2003, Ayritom customs complex started operating in Termez city.
On the outcomes of 2007, the volume of humanitarian cargo going via Ayritom check-point accounted for 1.2 million tons.
Upon the request of Afghan Government, Uzbekistan constructed 11 bridges between the cities of Mazari-Sharif and Kabul. These communication facilities have ensured uninterrupted link between the North and East of the country at the initial stage of economic reconstruction of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Power supply to Afghanistan was restored at the beginning of 2002. In 2007 Uzbekistan exported 20 megawatt of electricity to Afghanistan. Following commissioning of Hayraton – Puli Humri– Kabul power line the volume of power supply to Afghanistan can be increased at the initial stage up to 150 megawatt and eventually up to 300 megawatt.
In June last year the Protocol of Negotiations between Uzbekenergo State Joint-Stock Company and the Ministry for Energy and Water Resources of Afghanistan was signed. The document has defined concrete directions of cooperation for increasing the volumes of power supply to Afghanistan up to 300 megawatt.
In June 2007, the first session of Uzbek-Afghan Intergovernmental commission for trade and economic cooperation was held as a part of the efforts of both sides aimed at extending the scope of bilateral cooperation.
Uzbekistan is rendering all possible assistance to Afghanistan in restoring its national economic system. Particularly, Uzbekistan has been supplying to Afghanistan fuel, construction materials, metal-roll, fertilizers, foodstuff, etc.
The volume of trade between countries is steadily increasing. In 2006 it accounted for USD 163.7 million, including exports – USD 161.7 million and imports – USD 2.0 million.
In 2007 the trade totaled USD 332.3 million, including exports – USD 331.4 million and imports USD 0.9 million.
Currently, 122 companies with participation of Afghan business people are operating in Uzbekistan, of them 39 have been established at the expense of 100% foreign capital.
Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have established quite active political dialogue. For over the last two years the first Vice-President of Afghanistan, Chairman of Senate, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Energy, Minister of Trade, as well as the Adviser to President of Afghanistan for national security visited Uzbekistan.
In 2008 the Afghan delegation led by Minister of Energy and Water Economy of Afghanistan visited Uzbekistan twice.
The sides have discussed construction of 200 kilovolt-capacity, 43-km-long power line starting from Surkhan (Surkhandarya Province) substation to Hayraton (Afghanistan).
Construction works shall be carried out by the Uzbek side.
On August 26-27 this year the first round of talks between the delegations of two countries was held in Tashkent. The prospects of Uzbek-Afghan cooperation on constructing Hayraton-Mazari-Sharif railroad have been discussed in the course of the meeting.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Uzbekistan
Crossing the Friendship Bridge
Sunday, July 13th, 2008Here are some links to various articles on the Friendship Bridge, which carries the railway from Termiz/Termez in Uzbekistan, over the Amu Darya river to a freight terminal at Hairaton/Hayraton/(and various other transliterations) in Afghanistan. The nearest town to the Uzbek end is Mangusar.
U.S. Army Civil Affairs personnel visit the Termez bridge to assess its usability for supporting the transport of humanitarian aid from Uzbekistan, to the northern provinces of Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Dec. 18, 2001. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
War Zones for Idiots describes American Tom Bissell’s journey into Afghanistan over the Friendship bridge: A trim two-lane span with shallow train tracks running down the center, the bridge was splendid, solid, clean – until we came to its indisputably Afghan side. Suddenly graffiti streaked along the girders, all of it scrawled in indecipherable Arabic-alphabet Persian.
Travelling from Termez, he found
A converse silhouette of crosshatched white girders, the bridge was perhaps five hundred yards from where we stood. Before us a grassy bay of thigh-high vegetation swung back and forth in the breeze. A quarter-mile away, on the other side of the motionless Amu Darya River—as unremarkable as I imagined the view of North Dakota might appear from South Dakota—was Afghanistan.
Some cows, looking legless in the tall grass, drank from pools of swampy standing water near the river, which was itself blocked off with electrified fence and cyclonic coils of barbed wire. Michael thought that some great photos of the Friendship Bridge could be snapped from deeper in the field, and convinced me to follow him.
“Nyet, nyet!” our driver Sobir yelled. We turned, already up to our knees in the grass. He began calling out a single word in Russian while performing an ominous-looking hand motion. I asked Michael what this word meant. He said nothing, his mouth squirming thoughtfully within his blond goatee. He looked at his feet, and then around them.
“He’s saying,” Michael began, “that there are landmines here.”
In this travel blog tourists leave Afghanistan in 2007. Includes a photo of the deck showing the railway.
There is photo of the Russians leaving in 1989 (here is a news report from the Guardian archive), and also a rug design possibly inspired by the bridge, on an Australian website which has almost everything you could possibly need to know about Afghan War Rugs [now there is something which conjures up a strange image - coming next, the Doormats of Mass Destruction?].
A news article on reopening of the bridge in 2001.
Photo, collection of five pictures of the bridge area. I think the armoured vehicles in the river could be BTR-70s, but identification of drowned military kit isn’t exactly my speciality.
