Kabul International Airport

Kabul International Airport (IATA: KBL, ICAO: OAKB) (Pashto: دکابل نړیوال هوایی ډګر‎, Persian: میدان هوایی بین‌المللی کابل‎), also known as Khwaja Rawash Airport (Pashto: د خواجه رواش هوایي ډګر‎), is located 16 kilometers (9.9 mi) from the city center of Kabul in Afghanistan.

Kabul International Airport was built in the early 1960s when Afghanistan was progressing and becoming modernized. During the 10 year Soviet war in Afghanistan from 1979 to 1989, the airport was controlled and used by the Soviet Army. Following the Soviet withdrawal it remained in control of the Afghan military, which transformed to private militia. The Taliban regime took control of the airport in November 1996 until they were removed from power during Operation Enduring Freedom in late 2001.

After the removal of UN sanctions in early 2002, it was allowed to be used for civilian airlines. The airport has been heavily used by the United States armed forces and NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) since 2002. Large number of US-led NATO forces are based at the airport. The military of Afghanistan also has a base there, while the Afghan National Police provide security inside the passenger terminals.