Taliban call on Tajikistan, Uzbekistan to return Afghan aircraft or face retaliatory steps

The Taliban on Tuesday warned Tajikistan and Uzbekistan of "consequences" in case they failed to return Afghan Air Force aircraft and helicopters that were flown into their territories by fleeing pilots during US-backed evacuations in August. Speaking at an Afghan Air Force event in Kabul, Taliban Defence Minister Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid demanded that all military warplanes "taken abroad must be returned...(without) testing out patience." He further added that the Taliban will not allow any nation to seize or use the Afghan planes.

"I respectfully call on (Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) not to test our patience and not to forces to take all possible retaliatory steps to (retake the aircraft)," Taliban Defence Minister Yaqoob Mujahid was quoted as saying by TOLO News.

As many as 40 helicopters were flown out of Afghan territory into Tajikistan and Uzbekistan during the hasty withdrawal of US-led Allied Forces, Yaqoob Mujahid informed. As per Defence Ministry reports, cited by TOLO, Afghanistan had over 164 active military warplanes and now only 81 are in the country currently. "Our future airforce will be dependent on no country," he asserted.

Taliban welcome all pilots and engineers to come back to Afghanistan

After the US and Allied Forces withdrew from Afghanistan in mid-August, several US-trainee Afghan Air Force pilots flew themselves and their families out of Kabul for safe refuge in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. More than 40 planes, including A-29 light attack aircraft and Black Hawk helicopters, were flown out of the war-torn country days ahead of Taliban take over of Kabul. In September, nearly hundreds of Afghan pilots were deported from Uzbekistan for illegal entry into military aircraft. While they were transferred to the US-military base in the UAE, the fate of aircraft remained vague.

Meanwhile, Yaqoob Mujahid during his Tuesday speech welcomed all pilots and engineers to return to Afghanistan. "They wouldn't be honoured in foreign countries. We will honour them. They are the treasure of our country," the Defence Minister said as quoted by TOLO.

Nevertheless, analysts have remained suspicious about the safety blanket promised to erstwhile government employees and ex-military staff. As per reports cited by VOA News, dozens of former Afghan officials have been killed and tortured in recent weeks by the Taliban. Although, the Islamist group has repeatedly denied such claims.

(Image: AP)