Taliban urges Uzbekistan to return military aircraft

The Ministry of National Defense of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan issued a statement regarding the remarks made by the U.S. ambassador to Uzbekistan concerning the military aircraft.

"Any agreement regarding the fate of Afghan helicopters and planes in Uzbekistan is unacceptable. The Ministry of National Defense clearly emphasizes that the U.S. has no right to gift or confiscate the property of the Afghan people," the Taliban officials said.

The Afghan government has also called on Uzbekistan to refrain from any agreements on this matter and to cooperate in returning the aircraft:

"We expect the Uzbek government to refrain from any agreements on this issue. Considering good neighborly relations, make a wise decision and cooperate with Afghanistan in returning the military aircraft," the ministry's statement said.

It is worth noting that in August 2021, when the Taliban took control of Kabul, dozens of military planes and helicopters flew from Afghanistan to the territories of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The U.S. and Uzbekistan have been discussing this issue for quite some time. On August 26, the U.S. ambassador to Uzbekistan, Jonathan Henick, announced that the officials of the two countries had reached an agreement on the future of these aircraft.

According to him, the planes and helicopters flown by Afghan military personnel during the days when the Taliban took control of Kabul will remain in Uzbekistan. The officials of the two countries have reached an agreement on this matter.

"The military equipment will remain in Uzbekistan, this is already settled. These pieces of equipment were never Afghan property; they belonged to the Americans. The Afghan army used them, but we have always been the owners," said Jonathan Henick.

According to reports, in 2021, 22 military planes and 24 helicopters (including Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano, UH-60 Black Hawk, MD-530, PC-12, and Mi-17) carrying 585 Afghan military personnel crossed into Uzbekistan's airspace.

The Taliban have previously emphasized several times that the planes are Afghan property and need to be returned. Uzbek officials have stated that the planes and helicopters are U.S. property and cannot be returned.