SUMMARY

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7
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RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
T
Document Page Count: 
18
Document Creation Date: 
December 22, 2016
Document Release Date: 
September 1, 2010
Sequence Number: 
31
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
January 25, 1980
Content Type: 
REPORT
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PDF icon CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7.pdf1.1 MB
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. R Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 The Afghan transportation system, primitive by Western standards, adequately serves the small requirements of Afghanistan's agricultural economy. For troop deployment and resupply of their forces in Afghanistan however, the In November, prior to the Soviet invasion, delays in Soviet shipments to Afghanistan were experienced at the Soviet- to meet their minimal essential needs by air and ground. transport network. Despite problems created by port and road congestion at Soviet border points, rebel attacks on LOC's, 25X1 and havoc brought by winter snows, the Soviets have managed Soviets have relied. on both massive airlifts and the ground have been the targets of rebel strikes. Soviet units reportedly river ports. Within Afghanistan, lines of communication (LOC's) Afghan border; some of this congestion had been relieved by early January but by mid month transportation bottlenecks were observed once again at Soviet border points and Afghan cannot move along the main highways without armored or air escort. In addition to harassing troop convoys, the insurgents are disrupting the flow of food and fuel from the countryside to the cities, which could bring serious winter shortages. unless the Soviets undertake a major resupply effort. Delays in the shipment of fuel oil products are currently creating 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 7X1 ? Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 V internal transport difficulties. Heavy snows are lead to a rapid improvement in major Afghan lines of communi- A permanent Soviet presence in Afghanistan. will probably blocking roads and contributing to shortages. cations. The priorities established by the Soviets are 25X1 likely to be expanded internal LOC's and a major bridge crossing istan's international and domestic road network and upgrade the Amu Darya River. Such improvements will enhance Afghan- the USSR's logistic capabilities.in the region. 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 The Current Transport Situation in Afghanistan Transport congestion created by logistical support of Soviet forces,.rebel attacks on lines of communication, and Afghanistan but have not deprived the Soviets of minimum winter snows have impeded Soviet resupply operations in included refusing all conventional freight and halting issuance to alleviate: a buildup of cargoes at.the border points reportedly Additional steps taken by the Soviets in mid and late November pose a freeze on all shipments to Afghanistan in November. points of Kushka and Termez initially led the Soviets to im- essential requirements. Congestion at the Soviet border Further west, transportation availability on the route from alleviated at Termez and freight volumes were exceeding plans. Early January congestion had been .of railway shipping-permits-to Afghanistan until March 1980. 25X1 Kushka to the Afghan border city of Towraghondi, however, was very tight and acceptance of goods was extremely limited. Freight was moving through the Afghan river port of Jeyretan without difficulty, but the river port of Shirr Khan was re- By mid January congestion was once again building up at 25X1 portedly blocked. Soviet border points and-Afghan river ports. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 W communication by felling trees, seizing bridges, and opening Within Afghanistan the rebels have cut vital lines of floodgates on mountain streams. could bring serious winter shortages unless the Soviets under- flow of food and fuel from the countryside to the cities, which the main highways without-armored or air escort. In addition, to harassing troop convoys, the insurgents are disrupting the difficult terrain. Soviet army units cannot move along In particular, the Soviets have had problems keeping the road open between Termez and Kabul, which passes through extremely As of January, the Afghanistan government tried to give .take a major resupply effort. national carrier had begun commercial operations and that-Kabul normally. An Ariana.Airlines spokesman stated that the inter the appearance that their civil airlines were functioning airport was open to_commercial traffic. However, the Afghanistan government was unhappy with slow deliveries of aviation related petroleum products from the Soviet Union. They asked the.Soviets 25X1 to expedite the delivery of several varieties of fuels, oils, 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 ~~X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 Delays in the shipment of fuel oil products are also being noted creating internal transport difficulties in Afghanistan, and the Soviets are being urged to make de- liveries as soon as possible. Afghan provincial authorities are reporting critical shortages of food and fuel in all provinces. Heavy tributing to these shortages with many roads blocked. 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 The Afghan Transportation System agricultural economy. The system is almost entirely based on is adequate for the modest requirements of the predominantly The transportation network of landlocked Afghanistan waterways and rudimentary civil aviation. There is no rail- a limited highway network supplemented by a few navigable enhanced by highway improvements since the 1960's, particularly road system. Overall internal transport capability has USSR.and Pakistan. and by a major waterway -- the Amu Darya -- which forms part of the northern Afghan border with the USSR. are provided by good highway links to .the rai.l.:systems of the 25X1 Afghanistan to Pakistan. International overland connections along the western route extending from the. USSR across tion in Afghanistan. They form a limited but adequate trans- Highways are by far the most important mode of transporta Highway Network tration of roads is north and south of the Hindu Kush mountains, economic considerations of the country. The greatest concen- economy. The pattern of development of the highway network has been largely dictated by the main geographic features and traffic requirements of Afghanistan's predominately agricultural .portation network for both the domestic and international Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 V .but the more important part of the system consists.of a circumferential route from which radiate feeder roads to interior points. International Highway Links crossings shared with the Soviet Union. From these crossings, Principal international road links are four border are hard surface, all weather routes of good capacity while two ternal highway system. (See Table 1.) Three of these roads five-roads lead southward and connect to Afghanistan's in- transshipped by ferry from Soviet rail and road lines which from the border towns of Shir Khan and Jeyretan carry traffic southward. The other hard surfaced routes. leading southward terminating just inside the border are transshipped and trucked western Afghanistan. Goods shipped by the Soviet rail line the Soviets in. the recent invasion as a- crossing-point into south. from the.Soviet town of.Kushka to.Her.at andwas used by are gravel and of limited capacity. A concrete road leads parallel but do not now cross the border. To increase the economic and military usefulness of the Jeyretan route, a road and rail bridge is scheduled to be constructed, the first USSR. These, like the connection at Shir Kahn, are serviced 25X1 bridge to be built on the border over the Amu Darya. From the border towns of Keleft and Hazareh Toghay to Mazar-i-Sharif, two secondary roads provide additional connections with the by ferries across the Amu Darya. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 i route from Kabul east to Towr Kham, thence by the Kyber Pass capacity between Afghanistan and Pakistan. These include the There are two principal all-weather routes of significant Peshawar and Chaman are connected by rail with Karachi, the border area of Spin Buldak, Afghanistan and Chaman, Pakistan. to Peshawar, Pakistan, and the road from Qandahar to the closest Pakistani seaport and a principal outlet for Afghan to Herat road, provides the Soviet Union with excellent access Although it is sometimes closed by extensive flash flooding and drifting sands, this route, in connection with the Kushka hard surfaced route from Herat to the border near Islam Qala. Connection with Iran is primarily by one high capacity, istan's seaborne trade. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 prevalent throughout the route. It is passable to trucks and at a time and by heavy rains in the spring. It is subject to landslides and washouts and narrow bridges and fords are Though not a major link, a road which connects Afghanistan and China through the Wakhan corridor should be noted. Beginning at Kunduz as a hard surfaced, high capacity road, numerous obstacles limit its extensive use as a major trade route with China. The road is subject to snow blockage in winter for weeks Eshkashem the route is a low capacity gravel road which becomes busses for only a portion of its length.. Beyond Taloqan to a motorable natural earth track to Qala Panjeh and then con- tinues as a trail to the border with China. 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031 7 1 W Domestic Highway System concrete roadway turns northward and continues to Herat. This route is a paved, all weather road of substantial capacity with skirting the rugged Hindu Kush Mountains. From Qandahar,?a The primary section of the domestic highway network is -a. U-shaped, bituminous surfaced section which runs from Mazar-i-Sharif in the north southward to Kabul and Qandahar, which are sometimes impassable due to weather conditions. roads and by about 14,600 kilometers of natural earth roads stantially expanded over the past years. The paved highways are supplemented by over 4,200 kilometers of secondary gravel economic development, and, with foreign aid, has been sub- Road construction has received top priority in Afghanistan's is estimated to be about 21,500 kilometers in length, of which approximately 2,726 kilometers are paved primary highways which will eventually be extended in a ring around the country. The primary and secondary road system inside Afghanistan portions have been paved, a section between Herat and Sheberghan sections built by both the US (Kabul - Qandahar) and USSR in the 1960's. From Herat eastward to Mazar-i-Sharif the condition of the circumferential route is poor. Although has a gravel and improved earth surface, thereby severely limiting sustained vehicular traffic. Poor weather conditions, especially in winter, also limit full use of this roadway. -9- 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 W full operation, this route will provide the Soviet Union with although a final completion date is not available. When in Soviet engineering surveys for this section have been finished of the mountainous interior. The main circumferential route all major population and agricultural areas north and south good motorable route to the Iranian border. It will also com- plete the circumferential highway around the country, linking greater access to the northern section of Afghanistan and a is supplemented by several throusand kilometers.of low to moderate capacity gravel and natural earth roads throughout the interior. only one that has been developed and is utilized by modern river craft. The Helmand River, which originates in the central mountain area and flows south and west to Iran, is navigable by native craft for 470 km upstream from the Iranian border. The ways. The Kabul, the Helmand, and the Amu Darya and their tributaries, are Afghanistan's main rivers but the Amu Darya, which forms part of the northern border with the USSR, is the Afghanistan has about 1,200 kilometers of navigable water- Afghan Waterways Kabul River, which also originates in the central mountain area, is navigable at Jalalabadbut with minimum local traffic only. We doubt that it is navigable in the Pakistan border area. 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 9-X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 V on the Amu Darya River. Service is between the Soviet rail Most of the trade between Afghanistan and the Soviet Union has moved by barges of the Soviet Central Asian Shipping Line capacities up to 10 tons. For most, propulsion is manual. types of primitive design and construction, although some have 160 horsepower diesel tugs, and self-propelled barges with capacities up to 500 tons. Afghan craft are mainly native as Shir Khan. Soviet vessels operating on the river include Line operate throughout the year on the Amu Darya as far east Steamers and barges of the Soviet Central Asian Shipping served river port of Termez,__,the Afghan port of Shir Khan and the transloading point at Jeyretan. The most important Afghan river port is at Shir Khan across the Amu Darya from an abandoned section of a Soviet rail spur that goes to Pyandzh, USSR. It has a POL tank farm with a capacity of over 46,000 barrels, and at least 2 quays 25X1 There are no port facilities across from Termez, USSR -- the main Soviet rail yard north of the Afghan border --- but the river bank at Jeyretan in Afghanistan is used.as a transshipment with 10 cranes of capacities up to 20 tons. point. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 j 0 Civil Air civil airline system in Afghanistan consisted of two scheduled Prior to the late December invasion by the Soviets, the 720, Ariana's route network included London, Amsterdam, Rome, is the country's only international carrier. With asmall fleet of one McDonald Douglas DC-l0, two Boeing 727's, and'one Boeing airlines. The government controlled Ariana Airlines of aircraft and non-adherence to pre-flight rules in 1979, Paris, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Tehran, and Moscow. Although there were some reports of maintenance irregularities, overloading Afghanistan has twenty-eight civil airfields of which 25 percent are paved. Kabul International and Qandahar Inter- national are the country's principal airfields. (See Table 2.) Both provide all weather services, good support facilities and the only civil air fields with hangers. Considering the size airfields. Airfields ..the country. The aircraft flown -- the Russian Yak-40 and the Canadian Twin Otter -- were adaptable to the secondary Afghan Bakhtar Airlines, the domestic airline carrier, performed scheduled service and nonscheduled feeder operations throughout Ariana transported passengers, cargo, and mail regularly. section, Afghanistan had no need for more sophisticated air- ports. The remaining fields -- mostly located in the northern of the airfleet and the growth patterns of the civil air Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 0 Afghans appeared to have enough fields to meet their normal workships and other support buildings. As of December, the regions of the country -- have minor fuel storage facilities, airline needs. Major airfield improvements were not in evidence. Trade Patterns Afghanistan's foreign trade volume $285 million a year during the same period. Kabul's principal million annually during 1974-78 while imports have reached only standards in insignificant; exports have averaged only US $272 ports -- and Japan, which accounts for some 27 percent of total USSR, with natural gas the key export to the Soviet Union. Other leading trading partners are the UK and Pakistan - together accounting for 30 percent of Afghanistan's total ex of Kabul's exports and accounting for a quarter of its imports. Refined products are the most important Afghan import from the Afghanistan's leading trading partner, absorbing ,40 percent exports consist of natural gas (via pipeline to the USSR) and primary and processed agricultural products. Imports are mainly simple manufactures, transportation equipment, petroleum products, and textiles. The Soviet Union is imports. 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 w the USSR is carried by barges owned and operated by the Soviet At present the bulk of the trade between Afghanistan and the main, these ply between the Soviet rail served river port Central Asian Shipping Line along the Amu Darya river. 25X1 The Soviets currently are consolidating their positions on all of Afghanistan's major exit and entry points, securing. their main supply routes and resupplying by road and air. Indi- Outlook transportation routes through Pakistan, the USSR, and-Iran. time required to make overland journeys via the existing major of Termez and the Afghan ports at Termez and Shir Khan. Western trade has been adversely affected by the length o a rapid improvement in major Afghan lines of communications manent Soviet presence in Afghanistan is likely to presage cations are that they are preparing for a long stay. A per- likely to be 1) an accelerated time table to bridge the Amu Darya River in the Termez-Jeyretan area. 2) Rapid implementa- tion of plans to upgrade the major circumferential route link- ing Kushka, Herat, Qandahar, Kabul, and Shir Khan. 3) Upgrad- ing the road system leading west of this circumferential road to Iran. Such improvements will significantly improve (LOC's). The priorities established by the Soviets are provide the Soviets with enhanced logistic capabilities in the Afghanistan's international and domestic road network and region. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96R01136R002605240031-7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 w road-:'transloading and transshiment center is to be established. By constructing a constructed between Termez to'a point 12 km inside Afahanistan, where a rail/ complete at an estimated cost of $50 million., across the Amu Darya River in the Tennez-Jeyretan area. In addition, a new rail line will be way bridge, which will take between four and five years to point of view is the revival of the plan to build a rail/high The most significant project from an economic and military of the proposed bridge and route development is economic. How ever, from the military point of view, completion of the route will provide the USSR with a more direct route into Afghanistan. costs and speeding the transit of goods. The primary purpose and out of barges will be eliminated, thus reducing transport road and rail link; over the river, double handling of cargo into 25X1 The other projects under a new agreement include the supply of equipment and materials for: upgrading of the existing road from Qonduz to Shir Khan; the completion of the roads from Sheberghan westwards to Herat and from Talogan to Feysabad.- This involves the reconstruction and- realign-ment of new sections between Sheberghan and Herat and between Talogan and.Feysabad. Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 Afghanistan: Selected International Road Links i>/Shir Than 425 kms Kabul/Dowshi 203 Ions Surface Type Dowshi/Shir.Khan 222 kms bituminous :ti aebabad/Jeyretan 55 kms bituminous '4azar-e-Sharif/ F.azareh Toghay 64 kms gravel Herat/T wr Ghundi _ 116 kms Surface Condition Bridges 41, longest 145 meters across the Dorra Andorab River 4, longest 110 meters across the Khanabead River combined road and rail. bridge with a length of 800 meters under con- struction across the Amu Darya. River poor to fair poor to good fair Tunnels/Ferries Terrain 1 ferry across Amu Darya River. Capable of transporting heavy vehicles and equipment ferry fran Keleft undulating services this cross ing Soviet ferry capable of transporting heavy vehicles and equipment crosses the Amu Darya River Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 flat to hilly Capac (MTS 7300-9100 25X1 25X1 2bA] Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 (Table 1 continued) Afghanistan: Selected International Road Links (continued) Route Surface Length Surface Type Condition Bridges Tunnels/Ferries Pakistan Kabul/Towr Khan 276 kms bituminour good 14, longest 183 meters 8 tunnels, longest concrete across the Chapriar Rid 33 meters at Kilanetex 35 Kardahar/spin Buldak 112 Ions bituminous good 7, longest 350 meters across the Arghastan River Herat/Islam Qala 124 kms bituminous good 2, longest 274 meters China Kunduz/Eorder 449 kms Kunduz/M anabad a 26 lam bituminous good Khanabad/ Feyzabad 260 kms gravel fair 7, longest 239 meters across the Bangi River Feyzabad/ Eshkashan 148 kms gravel fair 1, with a length of 10.5 meters across the Eshkashem/Qala Panjehh 101 Ions earth poo r to fai Yakhshera River r Qala Pan'eh/ 260 kms earth poo r to fai r Border -17- Terrain Capaci (MTS ) undulating to mountainous flat to undulating 8100-9000 .undulating undulating to 100-700 mountainous hilly to mountainous 0-100 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 25X1 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7 V Afghanistan: Major Civil Airfields December 1979 Kandahar (Indernational) Asphalt Kabul (International) Concrete Herat Concrete Kunduz Asphalt Mazar-i-Sharif Asphalt Jalalabad Asphalt Maimana Gravel Runways Dimentions (meters) 3,200 x 45 2,800 x 45 2,500 x 45 2,000 x 45 2,000 x 45 1,850 x 45 1,500 x 30 Function Civil Civil Civil Civil Civil Civil Civil Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/01 : CIA-RDP96RO1136R002605240031-7