Afghanistan again calls on Uzbekistan to return military helicopters

Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, has once again called on Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to return the military helicopters flown out of the country by Afghan pilots in August 2021, Tolonews reported.

“We ask those countries that, four years ago following political developments, took part of our helicopters and transferred them to neighboring countries, to return these helicopters to the Afghan people so they can be used in humanitarian operations,” Muttaqi said at a meeting in Kabul with diplomats and representatives of international organizations.

On 8 September, Afghanistan International, citing its sources, reported that Uzbekistan would soon return 57 military helicopters that were flown out of Afghanistan in 2021. On 11 September, The Kabul Times quoted Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid as saying that Uzbekistan had agreed to hand back the aircraft.

However, Ahror Burkhanov, spokesperson for Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, denied these claims.

“Such reports do not correspond to reality. Uzbekistan’s position remains unchanged, and the information being circulated is fake,” Burkhanov emphasized.

According to official data, when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, soldiers of the previous regime fled to Uzbekistan aboard 46 aircraft – 22 military planes and 24 helicopters.

Since then, representatives of Afghanistan’s interim government have repeatedly demanded the return of the equipment. Uzbekistan, in turn, has consistently stated that these aircraft and helicopters are U.S. property and cannot be handed over.

In August 2024, U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick announced that the aircraft and helicopters would remain in Uzbekistan under an agreement between the two countries. He also reminded that “this equipment never belonged to the Afghans.”

As of February 2025, seven Black Hawk helicopters had already been returned by Uzbekistan to the United States, while dozens of other aircraft remain in Uzbekistan.