Mezzeh Air Base
Mezzeh Air Base  | |||||||||||
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 Satellite imagery of Mezzeh air base before destruction | |||||||||||
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| Airport type | Military | ||||||||||
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| Location | Mezzeh, Damascus | ||||||||||
| In use | Unknown–present | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 2,407 ft / 734 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 33°28′40″N 36°13′24″E / 33.47778°N 36.22333°E | ||||||||||
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  Mezzeh Air Base Location in Syria | |||||||||||
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Mezzeh Air Base (Arabic: مطار المزة العسكري; also spelled Mazzeh) was an air base of the former Syrian Air Force located in Mezzeh, Damascus, Syria, south-west of the old centre of Damascus. It had one runway of 8,258 feet (2,517 m) length, at elevation 2,407 feet (734 m).[1] In mid-2013 the airbase was described by the BBC as "an important strategic installation [which] plays a significant role in distributing the government's military supplies."[2] Reuters reported in mid-2013 that it was "used by Syria's elite Republican Guard, Special Forces and Air Force Intelligence, [and] also serves as a private airport for the Assad family."[3] It also said that during the Syrian civil war the base was "used to fire rockets and artillery at rebellious Sunni Muslim neighbourhoods on the edge of the capital."[3] Mezzeh Air Base was also used by the Syrian regime as a jail to imprison opponents during the Syrian civil war. Various inquiries and investigations reported that acts of torture and possible war crimes were committed in the jails of Mezzeh Air Base.[4]
On December 8, 2024, shortly after Damascus fell, it was targeted by Israel airstrikes, most likely to prevent the appropriation of strategic weapons by Syrian rebels.[5]
History
During World War II the Mazzeh airfield was a military base for the Vichy French air force, which also permitted Germany to use its bases. On 19 May 1941, British aircraft attacked the airfield, destroying some modern Potez 63 aircraft as well some older Potez 25 biplanes.[citation needed]
After Syrian independence in 1946, Mazzeh became a base for the Syrian Air Force. "By the end of 1957 the SAF had two operational MiG-17 squadrons defending the capital from their base at al-Mezze near Damascus."[6] In 1966 it became also the Defense Companies headquarters.
The airbase was subject to an attack that was blamed on Israel by Syrian authorities on January 13, 2017.[7] As of 2024, before destruction, satellite imagery showed the runway 06/24 to be 2.80 km.
See also
References
- ^ globalsecurity.org Syrian Airfields
- ^ BBC, 17 June 2013, Syria blast at Mezzeh military airport in Damascus
- ^ a b Reuters, 16 June 2013, Explosion hits military airport in Damascus: activists
- ^ "France issues arrest warrants for three Syrian security officials over prison torture". France 24. France 24. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Multiple Israeli strikes reported on airbases in southern Syria". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
- ^ Brian Cull, David Nicolle, Shlomo Aloni (1996), Wings over Suez, Grub Street, p359
- ^ "Syrian army says Israel fires rockets at military airport near Damascus". telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
