Taliban Vows to Recover Military Aircraft Held in Uzbekistan
Taliban army chief Fasihuddin Fitrat has admitted that efforts to retrieve military aircraft that fled to Uzbekistan during the fall of the previous Afghan government in 2021 have yet to succeed. Despite nearly four years of diplomatic pressure, the aircraft remain beyond the Taliban’s reach, a situation Fitrat insists they are not prepared to accept, Amu reports.
«These aircraft belong to Afghanistan,» he stated during a press briefing in Kabul, outlining the defence ministry’s annual progress. «We have not given up, and we never will. What is rightfully ours must be returned.»
Aircraft Still Grounded in Uzbekistan Despite Persistent Appeals
The aircraft in question, including American-made A-29 Super Tucanos, Mi-17 transport helicopters, and UH-60 Black Hawks, were flown across the border by Afghan military personnel escaping the Taliban’s rapid takeover in August 2021. On the day Kabul fell, Uzbek authorities confirmed that 22 planes and 24 helicopters entered their airspace.
Tashkent, however, has refused to return the equipment. The Uzbek government has cited U.S. ownership of the aircraft and has maintained that any decisions must be made in coordination with Washington. Taliban officials have repeatedly called the aircraft national assets and demanded their return, with Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob warning in the past that Afghanistan would not allow foreign states to retain or use them.
During the briefing, Fitrat also noted a 20% reduction in defence ministry personnel over the past year. The downsizing followed orders from the Taliban’s supreme leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, who placed a fifth of the defence, interior, and intelligence staff into a state of «active reserve».
Military Expansion Along Pakistan Border and Crackdown on Daesh
Fitrat revealed that the Taliban have significantly expanded their military presence along the border with Pakistan, constructing 15 regimental bases, three battalion units, and 765 outposts in the past year. Additionally, 340 kilometres of roads were built to connect these facilities. Thirteen new cross-border coordination centres are planned, with seven already operational.
Despite the build-up, the Taliban continues to reject the Durand Line as a legitimate border, a position shared with previous Afghan governments. Tensions with Pakistan have persisted over border demarcation and military installations.
Addressing questions on the Islamic State’s Khorasan branch (Daesh), Fitrat dismissed reports of their presence in Afghanistan as «propaganda», claiming that their operational capability has been reduced to near zero. His comments came despite a deadly Daesh attack in Kunduz earlier this year, which left at least 19 dead. Meanwhile, regional powers such as Russia have expressed growing concern over Daesh activity in the country.
A UN monitoring body recently estimated that the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) maintains nearly 6,000 fighters inside Afghanistan, further complicating the region’s security landscape.
Kursiv also reports that during a meeting between Uzbek, Afghan and Pakistani authorities, an intergovernmental framework agreement was signed on the railway route Termez – Naibabad – Maidan Shar – Logar – Kharlachi.
