Hungarian officer to run Kabul airport

As of October this year, Hungary will again be the leading nation running the area at Kabul International Airport used by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The commanding officer for six months will be a major-general of the Hungarian Army.

The commander of the Kecskemét Air Base in east central Hungary, major-general Nándor Kilián will be the commander of the of the NATO-led ISAF unite at the international airport of the Afghan capital from October 1st 2010 to March 31st 2011.

“Most of the personnel – about 80 troops – needed to run the military airport will be provided by Hungary,” Kilián told the Bács county newspaper Petõfi Népe. He added that other nations like Belgium or Bulgaria will also provide assistance in carrying out this important task. His deputy will be an American colonel.

The then colonel Kilián became the commander of the Dezsõ Szentgyörgyi Air Base in Kecskemét in April 2009 and he is scheduled to return to this post after his Kabul assignment.

Kilián will be second Hungarian officer to run the military part of Kabul’s airport. Between October 2008 and March 2009, colonel Csaba Varga filled the post of commander there, achieving international recognition.