Tajikistan has offered the United States use of one of three former Russian airbases in Tajikistan. The three bases have been used for some commercial flights since the Russians left ten years ago. But not a lot of maintenance has been done, so some work will be required before most American warplanes can use the facilities. But American C-130s could begin using any of the bases right away. Meanwhile, on the Tajik border with Afghanistan, Russian border patrols have been fired on by Taliban troops.