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Hairatan

Coordinates:37°13′01″N67°25′01″E/ 37.21694°N 67.41694°E/37.21694; 67.41694
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Hairatan
حیرتان
The Welcome to Afghanistan sign at Hairatan in northern Afghanistan (2010)
TheWelcome to Afghanistansign at Hairatan in northernAfghanistan(2010)
Hairatan is located in Afghanistan
Hairatan
Hairatan
Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates:37°13′1″N67°25′01″E/ 37.21694°N 67.41694°E/37.21694; 67.41694
CountryAfghanistan
ProvinceBalkh Province
DistrictKaldar District
Elevation
1,000 ft (300 m)
Time zone+ 4.30

Hairatan(DariandPashto:حیرتان;UzbekandTajik:Ҳайратон / Hayraton) is aborder townin northernBalkh ProvinceofAfghanistan.[1]The Hairatandry portandborder checkpointis located in the eastern section of the town. It sits along theAmu Riverin theKaldar District.The river forms theborderwith neighboringUzbekistan,and the two nations are connected by theAfghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge.The city ofTermezin Uzbekistan is a short distance away to the northwest of Hairatan, on the other side of the Amu River.

Hairatan is one of the major transporting, shipping and receiving locations in Afghanistan.[2][3][4][5]It is also an officialborder crossingbetween the people of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. Security in and around the town is provided by theAfghan National Security Forces.All foreign travelers must possess a validtravel visato enter Afghanistan.[6][7]Citizens of Afghanistancould stay for up to 10 days in Termez without a visa.[8]

History

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Further information:History of Afghanistan

The region around Amu River has been important in the history of civilizations from theBactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex,and the area around Hairatan was important during early Indo-Iranian migration by theAndronovo culture.In the early 1990s, Hairatan was the location of the 70th Division of General Abdul Momen, who was loosely aligned withAbdul Rashid Dostum'sNational Islamic Movement of Afghanistan.After Momen's 1994 death by an RPG missile attack, the 70th Division split and Dostum loyalist Colonel General Helaluddin took command.[9]

During thepresidency of Hamid Karzai,the town became an important strategic location for Afghanistan. NATO-trainedAfghan National Security Forcesestablished bases to provide security and maintain border activities. TheAfghan Border Policeare in charge of protecting the border while the Afghan National Customs regulate and monitor all trade activities. They are backed by theAfghan Armed Forces.

Members of theAfghan Border Policesearch a locomotive near the Hairatan border crossing point.

A freight terminal in Hairatan is the terminus of one of three rail lines in Afghanistan - a 10 km link to Termez.[10]In January 2010, the construction was started of a 75 km rail link from Hairatan to a terminal atGur-e Marnear the city ofMazar-i-Sharif.The project, part of the transport strategy and action plan of theCentral Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program,was contractually scheduled for completion by June 2011,[11][12]but was complete ahead of schedule, in November 2010.[13]

In May 2010, then-U.S. AmbassadorKarl Eikenberry,the president of theAsian Development Bank(ADB), several the Afghan ministers, and fellow ambassadors fromJapan,Finland,and Uzbekistan attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony inaugurating the Hairatan rail line. The United States and Japan became the two largest shareholders in ADB. This rail link became the first phase of a larger rail network planned to linkIranin the west andTajikistanvia a line atSher Khan Bandarin neighboringKunduz Provinceto the east. These future lines will create a rail corridor through northern Afghanistan and enable freight coming from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to reachPersian Gulfports on rail.[14][15][16]

In 2023, theAfghanistan Railway Authority(ARA) took control of the Hairatan-Mazar rail service.[17][18]Meanwhile, the Termez International Trade Center opened in Termez, which allows Afghan traders to stay there for up to 10 days without a travel visa.[8]Many people from other provinces of Afghanistan visit Hairatan for personal pleasure purposes, especially during the winter season.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ab"Balkh: Tourists flocking to Hairatanborder town".Pajhwok Afghan News.5 December 2022.Retrieved2023-01-01.
  2. ^"Hairatan Port revenue surges to nearly 8 billion afs".Pajhwok Afghan News.29 December 2022.Retrieved2022-12-29.
  3. ^"China to Transport Goods to Afghanistan By Railway: ARA".TOLOnews.10 December 2022.Retrieved2023-01-01.
  4. ^"500,000 metric tons of goods imported, exported via railroads".Pajhwok Afghan News.24 November 2022.Retrieved2022-12-29.
  5. ^"ACCI: Transit Through Afghanistan Up 50%".TOLOnews. 19 October 2022.Retrieved2022-12-29.
  6. ^"Afghanistan tourist visa for Uzbek citizens".visalist. July 7, 2022.Retrieved2022-08-18.
  7. ^"Uzbekistan tourist visa for Afghan citizens".visalist. August 19, 2022.Retrieved2022-08-18.
  8. ^ab"First Part of Joint Market Opens on Border with Uzbekistan".TOLOnews.27 December 2022.Retrieved2022-12-29.
  9. ^Anthony Davis, 'The Battlegrounds of Northern Afghanistan,'Jane's Intelligence Review,July 1994
  10. ^"Afghan rebuild underway".Railway Gazette International. 2007-07-12.Retrieved2010-02-24.
  11. ^"Hairatan to Mazar-i-Sharif railway"
  12. ^"Construction of Afghan railway launched".Railway Gazette International. 2010-01-27.Retrieved2010-02-24.
  13. ^Unstoppable: The Hairatan to Mazar-e-Sharif Railway Project Performance-Based Operation and Maintenance Contract(PDF)(Report). Asian Development Bank. 2014-02-01. Archived fromthe original(pdf)on 2020-12-24.Retrieved2021-05-24.
  14. ^"Routes for Major Railway Project Identified: ARA".TOLOnews.20 December 2022.Retrieved2023-01-01.
  15. ^"May 25, 2010: U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry Remarks at Hairatan Rail Line Ceremony"ArchivedJune 15, 2011, at theWayback Machine
  16. ^"Hairatan-Uzbekistan Rail Project".Railway Gazette International. 26 March 2013.Retrieved2022-08-19.
  17. ^"Afghanistan to Take Responsibilities Over Hairatan-mazar-e-sharif Railway:ARA".Bakhtar News Agency.December 31, 2022.Retrieved2023-01-01.
  18. ^"Afghanistan signs contract to run Hairatan-Mazar railway with Kazakh company".The Tashkent Times.1 January 2023.Retrieved2023-01-01.
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