Uzbekistan, U.S. continue to discuss fate of Afghan aircraft

By Kuban Andymen

TASHKENT: The authorities of Uzbekistan and the United States continue negotiations about the fate of over 45 military aircraft and helicopters that were transported to Uzbekistan from Afghanistan in August 2021.

“I can only say that we continue to work with the government of Uzbekistan on the question of the final disposition of these aircraft. We will announce it,” said U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Jonathan Henick, Gazeta.uz reports.

When asked if the aviation equipment is still located in the Surkhandarya region, he answered affirmatively.

Surkhandarya region’s hokim (head of the local executive authority) Ulugbek Kosimov, when asked a similar question, said that he could not comment and that the information should be requested from the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan.

During the days of Kabul’s takeover by the Taliban in August 2021, 22 military aircraft and 24 helicopters, including Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano, UH-60 Black Hawk, MD-530, PC-12, and Mi-17, illegally crossed Uzbekistan’s airspace, carrying 585 armed Afghan servicemen.

The interim government of Afghanistan repeatedly insisted that these aircraft belong to Afghanistan. However, Uzbekistan authorities said that the planes and helicopters belong to the United States and cannot be returned.

In September 2022, Politico reported that U.S. authorities might hand over a part of their military aircraft and helicopters brought from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in exchange for an informal agreement to “deepen security and anti-terrorism cooperation along the borders.”