U.S. may let Tajikistan hold on to fleeing Afghan aircraft

Officers, together with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon and Commander of U.S. Central Command Basic Michael Kurilla, maintain talks in Dushanbe, Tajikistan June 15, 2022. Image taken June 15, 2022. Tajikistan’s Presidential Press Service/Handout by way of REUTERS

DUSHANBE, June 20 (Reuters) – The US could let Tajikistan maintain on to Afghan army plane donated by the U.S. that sought shelter within the Central Asian nation following the U.S. withdrawal from Kabul final August, a U.S. army commander stated.

U.S.-trained Afghan pilots flew dozens of army planes and helicopters to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as they fled the Islamist Taliban who took over the nation as international forces withdrew.

The Taliban have demanded that the 2 international locations return the plane.

U.S. Central Command commander Gen. Michael Kurilla visited Tajikistan over the weekend.

“We’re grateful to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan for persevering with to safe the plane that the Afghan Air Power flew into the nation final August,” he stated in feedback relayed by the U.S. embassy.

“The US is working with the Tajik authorities to find out one of the best ways to successfully use and preserve the plane,” Kurilla stated.

He stated the plane would positively not be returned to Afghanistan “as a result of they don’t belong to the Taliban”.

“Our hope is to have the ability to hand over some or all the plane to the Tajik authorities. I shouldn’t have a timeline on when this can happen, however we’re working arduous to make this occur.”

The Taliban seized energy as the USA and its allies withdrew troops after a 20-year warfare launched within the weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, assaults as U.S. forces hunted al Qaeda leaders and sought to punish their Taliban hosts.

Panicked Afghans clamoured to board flights out of Kabul, fearing reprisals and a return to a harsh model of Islamic legislation that the Sunni Muslim group applied when it held energy from 1996 to 2001.

Reporting by Nazarali Pirnazarov;
Writing by Olzhas Auyezov;
Modifying by Nick Macfie

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