Shindand Airbase
Shindand Airbase, located in western Herat Province near the Iranian border, is the second-largest military airfield in Afghanistan. Originally constructed in 1961 with Soviet assistance, Shindand served as the primary strike hub for the Soviet Air Force during the 1980s Soviet-Afghan War, housing MiG fighter jets, Su-25 attack planes, and Mi-24 Hind gunships. The strategic base saw heavy combat, rocket bombardments, and plane crashes, resulting in numerous casualties among Soviet pilots, Afghan soldiers, and later Coalition personnel. Military personnel, pilots, and airbase sentries stationed at Shindand have long reported strange supernatural occurrences, including phantom jet engine roars echoing across dark flightlines, glowing red apparitions near hardened aircraft shelters, radio static transmitting pilot distress calls, and sightings of a mysterious winged creature looming over abandoned concrete hangars.