US vacates Shamsi Airbase; Pak forces take control

Islamabad, Dec 11: Pakistan security forces on Sunday (today) took control over the Shamsi airbase after most of the US military personal vacated following the Pak government's order over the NATO air attack on Nov 26 that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

According to American and Pakistani media, US had been using the airbase since late 2001 for military operation in Afghanistan and for air strikes in Pakistan's tribal regions.

Meanwhile, Pak defence forces, civil aviation authority and ministry of interior took control of Shamsi airbase in Balochistan province of Pakistan. Earlier, a Pakistani military official in Balochistan had said that the U.S. personal at the airbase had also burnt some equipment, which he said is a routine practice as they were not required to be taken out of the facility.

Sources said that the decision on whether to hand over the airbase to UAE will be taken later on.

OneIndia News