QUETTA, Dec 9: Frontier Corps personnel have arrived in Washak to take control of the Shamsi airbase after it is vacated by US forces by Sunday.

According to sources, the United States troops deployed at the base are collecting their equipment.

“Seven US planes have landed at Shamsi airbase over the past four days and loaded with military equipment and belongings oftroops for shifting them to Bagram airbase in Afghanistan,” the sources said on Friday.

They said the US troops burnt down some equipment they did not want to take with them.

“Usually, troops shifting from one place to another burn their extra equipment and other belongings which they think is useless for them,” a military official told Dawn.

The source said the US troops had expedited removing their military equipment installed at different places in and around the airbase.

“Most of the US soldiers and other officials have gone to Afghanistan in the past four days,” the sources said.

However, some US army personnel and technical staff were still at the base, removing radars and other sensitive equipment installed on nearby mountains.

Security is very tight around the base and nobody is allowed to enter the restricted area.

Pakistani troops have been deployed to provide security to the airbase.

“The evacuation process is expected to be completed in 24 hours,” the sources said.

FC troops would take control of the base after the evacuation, they said.