SOVIET SUPPLY BASE AT POL-E KHOMRI, AFGHANISTAN

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T01355A000100320001-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 8, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: June 1, 1980
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/08: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100320001-2
Secret
Imagery analysis report
Soviet Supply Base at
Pol-E Khomri, Afghanistan (S)
Secret
WNINTEL
Z-20016/80
IAR-0106/80
JUNE 1980
Copy 16 7
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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/08: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100320001-2
Warning Notice
Intelligence Sources and Methods Involved
(WNINTEL)
NATIONAL SECURITY INFORMATION
Unauthorized Disclosure Subject to Criminal Sanctions
NOFORN- Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals
NOCONTRACT- Not Releasable to Contractors or
Contractor/Consultants
PROPIN- Caution-Proprietary Information Involved
USIBONLY- USIB Departments Only
ORCON- Dissemination and Extraction of Information
Controlled by Originator
REL ... This Information has been Authorized for
Release to ...
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 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/08: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100320001-2
SECRET
SOVIET SUPPLY BASE AT POL-E KHOMRI, AFGHANISTAN (S)
1. (S/D) The rimar v' supply base in northeast Afghanistan is at Pol-E Khomri Soviet De-
ployment Area PoI-E Khomri is 75 nautical miles (nm) south of the USSR-Afghani- 25X1
stan border and 90 nm north-northwest of Kabul. The installation was first observed 7X1'
and has been rapidly expanded into a major supply base. It contains the largest Soviet 25X1
tactical POL storage area in Afghanistan, an ammunition storage area, a general storage area, a field
hospital, a command post, a motor transport regiment, a motorized rifle regiment, and three small support
units (Figure 1).
2. (S/D) The POL storage area is in the southwest corner of the base and contained only collapsible
fuel bladders in January 1980. Scarring for POL storage tank construction was first observed in late
February, and the first POL storage tanks were seen The expansion of POL storage capacity 25X1
has been rapid. the capacity was tripled but began to level off in late April 25X1
(Table 1). By mid-May, over 200 fuel bladders and over 500 POL storage tanks of various sizes were in the
storage area. The current estimated storage capacity is approximately 16 million liters, which is over one-
third of all the Soviet tactical POL storage capacity identified in Afghanistan since the December 1979
invasion.
Table 1.
Expansion of POL Storage Capacity at Pol-E Khomri Soviet Deployment Area
This table in its entirety is classified SECRET/WNINTEL
Estimated capacity
26 Jan
11 Feb
2 Mar
18 Mar
2 Apr
12 Apr
4 May
12 May
in thousands of liters
1,000
2,200
3,850
8,670
11,670
15,190
15,500
15,900
3. (S/D) The ammunition and general storage areas are in the southeast portion of the base. Con-
struction in the ammunition storage area began in early March 1980. By mid-May, the fence-secured
storage area consisted of 21 revetments constructed into the sides of two shallow ravines. The first
accumulation of small crates was observed in six of the revetments. 13 of the
revetments contained stacks of small crates. Construction in the general storage area began in early
March, and the first accumulation of supplies was observed
4. (S/D) The field hospital was first observed in the northeast portion of the base I I In
early March, the hospital was relocated toward the center of the facility and doubled in size to 60 tents.
25X1
25X1
25X1
HIP-C helicopters were on the ground next to the hospital 25X1
5. (S/D) The command post is in the northern part of the base and consists of a communications
center, a PARK DRIVE mobile communications satellite receiver/transmitter, a TWIN EAR antenna,
and an R-410 TWIN PLATE radio relay site. The R-410 TWIN PLATE site is deployed on a ridgeline 0.5
nm north of the communications center. In Januar 1980, the site contained four deployed R-410 stations;
however, a fifth R-410 station was deployed This R-410 site is probably a relay station for
troposcatter communications between Kabul and Termez.
25X1
6. (S/D) The motor transport regiment is bivouacked in the center of the base and contains approxi-
mately 100 KAMAZ-53202 trucks, over 200 POL trucks, and approximately 100 cargo trucks. Construc-
tion in the regimental bivouac and parking area began in late February. Most of the vehicles and over 150
tents were present Most of the KAMAZ-53202 trucks have large storage tanks in the cargo 25X1
beds; the trucks are probably used to transport POL. Large convoys are frequently observed in formation
in the north and south portions of the base.
7. (S/D) A BTR-70 armored personnel carrier (APC)-equipped motorized rifle regiment was first
observed deployed in the southern portion of the base This regiment left the base
and was replaced by a BTR-60PB-equipped motorized rifle regiment. The new regiment is 25X1
bivouacked in the southern portion of the base.
8. (S/D) Defenses around the base currently consist of defensive trenching, revetted tanks and APCs,
and artillery firing positions. One motorized rifle battalion and the artillery battalion from the motorized
rifle regiment are usually deployed around the base in these positions. The only air defenses observed
include four probable ZPU-2 and four ZSU-23/4 air defense weapons (from the air defense battery of the
motorized rifle regiment) and an SA-7 missile firing position which was constructed next to the POL
storage area in early March.
9. (S/D) The three support units deployed at the supply base are a maintenance unit near the motor
transport regiment, deployed in mid-March; a probable chemical defense station in the western portion of
the base, deployed in early April; and a field shower unit in the northeast portion of the base, deployed in
early May.
Z-20016/80 SECRET
IAR-0106/80
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/08: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100320001-2
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/08: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100320001-2
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/08: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100320001-2
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/08: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100320001-2
Secret
Secret
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/10/08: CIA-RDP80T01355A000100320001-2