Uzbekistan agrees to return helicopters transferred from Afghanistan - Media

Uzbekistan has agreed to return military helicopters that were flown out of Afghanistan in August 2021, when the then-government collapsed. This was announced on September 10 by Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban’s interim government.

According to him, the helicopters taken by Afghan military personnel at that time have remained in Uzbekistan over the past few years. Mujahid noted that their fate had been a subject of calm negotiations between Kabul and Tashkent, with the Taliban consistently requesting their return as part of broader efforts to restore national assets.

’’The handover of 57 military helicopters is expected to take place soon. This will be an important step toward rebuilding Afghanistan’s air force and strengthening ties between the two neighboring countries,’’ Mujahid said.

The US Department of Defense has confirmed that 46 aircraft and helicopters were flown to Uzbekistan and another 18 to Tajikistan. These included Mi-17 and UH-60 helicopters, as well as PC-12, C-208, AC-208, and A-29 fixed-wing aircraft.

The Taliban repeatedly demanded their return from both countries, but officials in Tashkent and Dushanbe have not publicly commented on these demands.

Earlier, the US Ambassador to Uzbekistan stated that, under a new agreement, the 46 aircraft that landed in Uzbekistan would remain under that country’s control. Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Afghanistan expressed gratitude to Tajikistan for not handing over the former Afghan military aircraft to the Taliban.

According to a former Afghan security commander, before the Taliban seized power, the United States had supplied the country’s air force with a total of 229 helicopters, including both combat and transport aircraft.