US and Uzbekistan agree on Afghanistan military aircraft

The U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan has announced that, under a new agreement, 46 aircraft and helicopters previously belonging to the Afghan military will remain in the possession of the Uzbek government.

As the Ghani government fell, several Afghan pilots fled to Uzbekistan with these aircraft.

Over the past three years, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have negotiated with the U.S. to secure ownership of this military equipment.

According to Uzbek news agency “Uzbek-Kun,” Jonathan Henick, the U.S. Ambassador in Tashkent, confirmed this week that the aircraft and helicopters will remain in Uzbekistan. He stated, “The military equipment will stay in Uzbekistan, and this has been officially agreed upon.”

He further explained, “These vehicles never belonged to the Afghans; they belonged to the U.S. The Afghanistan military used them, but we were always the owners.”

On August 15, 2021, Uzbek authorities reported that 22 military aircraft and 24 helicopters from the Afghanistan armed forces had entered Uzbekistan’s airspace.

Former Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, along with some of his aides, also fled to Uzbekistan using three military helicopters before moving to the United Arab Emirates.

The Taliban has repeatedly claimed that these aircraft belong to Afghanistan and has demanded their return.

Last year, Taliban Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob announced in Kabul that the Taliban government would never allow these aircraft to be seized or used by its northern neighbors.

He urged Uzbekistan and Tajikistan not to test the Taliban’s patience and warned of possible retaliatory actions to reclaim the aircraft.

The aircraft in question include Mi-17 and UH-60 helicopters and PC-12, C-208, AC-208, and A-29 planes.

The transfer of these military assets to Uzbekistan underscores the ongoing geopolitical tensions and complex negotiations surrounding military equipment left behind after the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. As the situation evolves, how these developments will impact regional security and diplomatic relations remains to be seen.

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