In 2021, as Taliban fighters advanced toward the capital, Kabul, then-Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. At that time, several military helicopters and fighter jets were hastily taken to neighboring Uzbekistan. Among them, Uzbekistan has handed over seven Black Hawk helicopters to the United States. This information was disclosed at a recent event at the Uzbek Embassy in Washington.
Upon learning about this, Afghanistan’s current rulers, the Taliban, condemned the move. They stated that these helicopters belong to the Afghan people and should be returned to them.
In a statement, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense said, “The transfer of Afghan helicopters from Uzbekistan to the United States is unacceptable. Neighboring countries should respect Afghanistan’s rights. We call on the United States not to create any obstacles in returning these helicopters to the Afghan people.”
After the fall of Ashraf Ghani’s government, a total of 46 aircraft and helicopters were taken to Uzbekistan. A spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense stated that before the Taliban took power, Afghanistan had 164 military aircraft, of which 81 are now in their possession.
Military expert Hadi Quraishi commented, “Uzbekistan should have made a deal with Kabul, but they did not. Instead, they handed over Afghan property directly to the United States.”
Political analyst Fazal Rahman Oria suggested that to reclaim these helicopters, the Taliban government should engage in direct negotiations with the United States while continuing discussions with Uzbekistan. He said, “The Taliban government should negotiate directly with the United States instead of pressuring Uzbekistan. Additionally, talks with Uzbekistan should continue to ensure that Afghanistan’s military equipment and other assets remaining in Uzbekistan are returned to Afghanistan.”