The Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, also known as K2 Base, is an airbase in southeastern Uzbekistan, just east of Karshi. From 1954 to 1981, a Soviet Air Force regiment was stationed at the base, and it continued to be a Soviet base until 30 June 1992, when control of the base was handed over to the new government of Uzbekistan. Between 2001 and 2005, the United States used the base for support missions against al-Qaeda in neighboring Afghanistan, but they were forced to leave in November 2005 following Islamist unrest in Uzbekistan.