Six U.S. fighter planes landed at Bishkek's Manas airport where some 1,800 servicemen of the international coalition are now stationed, RFE/RL's Bishkek bureau reported on 18 April. The F-18 Hornets will be taking part in operations in Afghanistan, according to a U.S. military spokesman at Manas. Unlike the Uzbek air base at Khanabad, which Tashkent officially maintains may be used by foreign troops only for search-and-rescue and humanitarian flights, the Kyrgyz have allowed their base to be employed for combat missions. Refueling aircraft and six French Mirage 2000 jets are already based at Manas and are active in the counterterrorism campaign. (RFE/RL)