Afghanistan-Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge

The Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge is a road and rail bridge across the river Amu Darya in the northern Balkh province of Afghanistan, which connects the town of Hairatan with Termez in Uzbekistan. The bridge was built by the Soviet Union in 1982 to supply its troops in Afghanistan.

It is the only way to across the Uzbek–Afghan border, the nearest bridge across the Amu Darya being at Kelif, some 120 kilometers (74.5 mi) to the west, crossing the Turkmen-Afghan border.

The bridge was closed in May 1997 when the Taliban forces took control of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif, forcing their enemies living in northern Afghanistan to retreat into Uzbekistan. It reopened on December 9, 2001.[1] Work began in January 2010 to extend the railway to Mazar-i-Sharif.