Washington, D.C.-? There have been a lot of different rumors flying around that the US intends to close the Manas Air Base located in Afghanistan. It is a key supply and troop hub for the United States, and is operated with the support and permission of the government of Kyrgyzstan.
?We are not sure how these rumors of base closing got started, but they are totally false, and untrue,? said Sean McCormack.
Sean McCormack is the spokesman for the State Department, and he addressed the media at a briefing at the Pentagon Thursday morning. ?We have our local embassy and Charge d?Affairs officer in Kyrgyzstan has confirmed that the government of Kyrgyz does not wish to close the base, and is in approval of its current operations,? said McCormack.
A second US official that requested to be not quoted also confirmed that the US base is in no danger of closing.? A military spokesman in Afghanistan says that these types of rumors are circulated all the time, but there is nothing to them.
?We have an existing contract for a number of years to operate the Manas base and so there is just no truth to these rumors at all,? said Colonel Greg Julian.
Colonel Greg Julian is the US Military Spokesman that deals partly with Afghanistan issues and US Operations in Afghanistan.