Uzbekistan is preparing to hand over 57 military helicopters to Afghanistan that were flown into its territory by pilots of the former government after the Taliban seized power, according to Kabul Times.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the aircraft would be transferred to Kabul in the near future. Kursiv Uzbekistan has requested clarification from the Uzbek Ministry of Defence.
The news comes despite earlier remarks in July from Afghanistan’s Chief of General Staff, Fasihuddin Fitrat, who claimed negotiations on the return of military equipment had failed, without naming the countries involved.
By 2022, Uzbekistan held 46 Afghan aircraft, including Mi-17 and Black Hawk transport helicopters as well as strike planes. Earlier this year Tashkent returned seven aircraft to the United States.
Afghanistan’s current authorities have repeatedly demanded the return of military hardware that once belonged to the ousted government, directing similar requests to Washington. The US, however, has maintained that equipment flown out of Afghanistan should not be transferred to the Taliban administration.
