Kabul demands Uzbekistan to send back US helicopters

The Taliban’s Ministry of Defense has condemned the Uzbek authorities for handing over to the United States a dozen military helicopters that were previously used in Afghanistan before the Taliban insurgents seized power in Kabul. Meanwhile, Trump administration demands the military equipment back.

Uzbekis­tan has transferred seven Black Hawk helicopters that Afghan army pilots flew to the Central Asian state while fleeing the Taliban in 2021.

Kabul demanded the helicopters be sent back to Afghanistan, while US President Donald Trump has urged the Taliban to return American weapons to Washington.

“The Islamic Emirate is concern about this issue, because these helicopters belong to Afghanistan…. It is unacceptable for us that these helicopters are being transferred to the United States for any reason; because the people of Afghanistan have the right to defend themselves, while neighbouring countries must respect the rights of Afghans,” – a statement of Taliban’s Defence Ministry said.

It recommended Washington “not to create obstacles” for giving helicopters back to Afghanistan but facilitate handing them over to Afghan people instead, - according to the statement.

The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in August 2021 marked the end of a two-decade-long military presence in the region. However, the withdrawal of the troops has left behind a complex and dangerous legacy, the vast of advanced military equipment abandoned by US forces, which has now fallen into the hands of terrorist groups.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) reporter that the United States allocated nearly $90 billion in security sector assistance to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), with the goal of developing an independent, self-sustaining force capable of combating both internal and external threats. SIGAR also reported that since 2010, the U.S. spent over $8.5 billion to support and develop the Afghan Air Force (AAF) and the Special Mission Wing (SMW).

According to Uzbekistan media reports, the 46 aircrafts from Afghanistan were transferred to Uzbekistan, including 22 small turboprop aircrafts - Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano and Pilatus PC-12, and 24 helicopters, mostly Mi-17s, but also UH-60 Black Hawk and MD-530 helicopters.

“This equipment was never Afghan, it was American. [The Afghan Republic’s military] used it, but we have always been the owners,” U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick told reporters. When asked about the fate of the aircraft, Henik responded, “It will be in Uzbekistan. Yes, it is already official.”

The Taliban authorities are not recognized by the United States as the government of Afghanistan, are on the U.S. Specially Designated Global Terrorist list, and are under U.S. and UN sanctions.

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