Mezzeh Military Airport

Mezzeh Military Airport (also spelled Mazzeh) is a Syrian Air Force military air base located in Mezzeh, Damascus, Syria, south-west of the old centre of Damascus. It has one runway of 8258 ft length, at elevation 2407 ft.[1] In mid-2013 the airport 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 Guards, 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 Military Airport

Location of Mezzeh Military Airport in Damascus, in brown at the bottom left
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OwnerSyrian Armed Forces
OperatorSyrian Air Force
LocationMezzeh, Damascus
In useUnknown–present
Elevation AMSL2,407 ft / 734 m
Coordinates33°28′40″N 36°13′24″E
Map
Mezzeh Military Airport
Location in Syria
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
1 8,258 2,517

History

During World War II Mazzeh airport was a military base for the Vichy French airforce, which also permitted Germany to use its bases. On 19 May 1941 British aircraft attacked the airport, destroying some modern Potez 63 aircraft as well some older Potez 25 biplanes. 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."[4] In 1966 it became also the Defense Companies Headquarter.

The airport was subject to an attack that was blamed on Israel by Syrian authorities on January 13, 2017.[5]

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See also

References
  1. globalsecurity.org Syrian Airfields
  2. BBC, 17 June 2013, Syria blast at Mezzeh military airport in Damascus
  3. Reuters, 16 June 2013, Explosion hits military airport in Damascus: activists
  4. Brian Cull, David Nicolle, Shlomo Aloni (1996), Wings over Suez, Grub Street, p359
  5. "Syrian army says Israel fires rockets at military airport near Damascus". telegraph.co.uk. Telegraph. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
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