
K-1 Air Base, or Kaywan, is a former
Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF; ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well as the policing of its international borders. The IQAF also acts as a support force for t ...
base and military base in the
Kirkuk Governorate
Kirkuk Governorate (; ; ) or Kirkuk Province is a governorate in northern Iraq. The governorate has an area of . In 2017, the estimated population was 1,259,561 people. The provincial capital is the city of Kirkuk. It is divided into four Distri ...
of
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
. It was captured by
Coalition forces during
Operation Iraqi Freedom
The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...
in 2003, later served as the headquarters of the
12th Division of the
Iraqi Army
The Iraqi Ground Forces (Arabic: القوات البرية العراقية), also referred to as the Iraqi Army (Arabic: الجيش العراقي), is the ground force component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It was formerly known as the Royal Iraq ...
. In 2014 it was taken over by the
Kurdish
Kurdish may refer to:
*Kurds or Kurdish people
*Kurdish language
** Northern Kurdish (Kurmanji)
**Central Kurdish (Sorani)
**Southern Kurdish
** Laki Kurdish
*Kurdish alphabets
*Kurdistan, the land of the Kurdish people which includes:
**Southern ...
Peshmerga
The Peshmerga () are the internal security forces of Kurdistan Region. According to the Constitution of Iraq, regional governments are responsible for "the establishment and organization of the internal security forces for the region such as p ...
. On October 16, 2017, the base was taken back by Iraqi special forces during the
Battle of Kirkuk The Battle of Kirkuk may refer to several historical battles over several conflicts:
* Battle of Kirkuk (1733) during the Ottoman–Persian War (1730–35)
* Battle of Kirkuk (1991), part of the 1991 uprisings in Iraq
* Battle of Kirkuk (2014), par ...
.
History
K-1 was a primary air base for the
Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF; ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well as the policing of its international borders. The IQAF also acts as a support force for t ...
prior to
Operation Iraqi Freedom
The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...
. It is named after the pumping station at mile 0 (at the Kirkuk oil field) of the
Kirkuk-Haifa oil pipeline that was commissioned in 1934.
Iraq war 2003–2011
It was used as a Contingency Operating Location by the
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
after the
2003 U.S. invasion.
During the American presence in Iraq, U.S. and Iraqi forces used training centers at K1 as hubs for combined instruction between U.S. soldiers and various units of Iraqi Security Forces, including Iraqi Army infantry and route clearance units.
"This base will eventually be turned over from Location Command to the
12th Division," said Hall. “The 12th IA is planning on using the K1 facility to support a new tank regiment that is forming. The regiment is not on the ground yet, but it is in the working for the future.”
Soldiers of Company C, 1st Brigade Special Troops Battalion and 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force,
1st Infantry Division, vacated and transferred control of Contingency Operating Location K1 to Iraq Security Forces, July 25, 2011.
2014–present
During the
Northern Iraq offensive (August 2014)
Between 1 and 15 August 2014, the Islamic State (IS) expanded territory in northern Iraq under their control. In the region north and west from Mosul, the Islamic State conquered Zumar, Sinjar, Wana, Mosul Dam, Qaraqosh, Tel Keppe, Bat ...
by the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signi ...
, the
12th Division of the
Iraqi Army
The Iraqi Ground Forces (Arabic: القوات البرية العراقية), also referred to as the Iraqi Army (Arabic: الجيش العراقي), is the ground force component of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It was formerly known as the Royal Iraq ...
, consisting of over 12,000 soldiers, fled this base. It was briefly captured by the Islamic State but they were swiftly pushed out by the Kurdish
Peshmerga
The Peshmerga () are the internal security forces of Kurdistan Region. According to the Constitution of Iraq, regional governments are responsible for "the establishment and organization of the internal security forces for the region such as p ...
. During this period the base suffered looting both by IS and local residents.
The base has since hosted military personnel from multiple countries participating in the coalition war against the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signi ...
, including Americans, Italians, French, Norwegians and others. There are reportedly American soldiers present at the base, training and advising Peshmerga.
On May 7, 2017, at least two soldiers were killed and six injured when multiple Islamic State suicide bombers attacked the base.
On October 16, 2017 the base was taken back from Kurdish control by Iraqi special forces during the
Battle of Kirkuk (2017).
On December 27, 2019, around 7:20 pm, a
rocket attack targeting the base killed a U.S. civilian contractor and wounded several American and Iraqi personnel. The attack was suspected to be conducted by Iran-backed militants of
Kata'ib Hezbollah
Kata'ib Hezbollah (), also known as the Hezbollah Brigades, is an Iraqi Shia paramilitary group which is a part of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), staffing the 45th, 46th, and 47th Brigades. During the Iraq War (2003–11), the g ...
. That led to
retaliatory airstrikes conducted by
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in Iraq and Syria, killing 25 Kata'ib Hezbollah militiamen.
The United States Army left the air base on March 29, 2020.
References
External links
*Spc. Justin Naylor, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division Public Affairs
Iraqi Army opens new center for engineers, November 13, 2009
{{authority control
Army installations of Iraq
Iraqi Air Force bases
Kirkuk Governorate in the Iraq War
Iraq War sites