Radio Free Afghanistan: Back From The Dead!

It’s alive — back from the dead! The U.S. government’s Radio Free Afghanistan, killed off a decade ago after the Soviets gave up and went home, has been brought back to life and, by now, is almost certainly on the air as another of the several surrogate broadcasters (Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Iraq) under the direction of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Initially, the programming amounts to just three hours per day, but that number will increase to somewhere around 12 hours as they build up steam. For starters, the broadcasts — all is either the local Pashto or Dari languages, are on the air from 0300 to 0400 on 7230 (Kavala, Greece), 15345 and 17640 (both from Udorn Thani, Thailand). Another broadcast goes out from 1300 to 1400 on 11920 (Kavala), 15525 (Iranawila, Sri Lanka) and 17725 (Biblis, Germany) and a third transmission airs on 6170 (from Holzkirchen, Germany), 9785 and 11920 (Tinang, Philippines). All the sites are owned and operated by the U.S. government and also carry RFE/RL, VOA, etc.