Afghan Taliban Seeks Return of 22 Fighter Jets, 24 Helicopters from the U.S

Disputes have emerged between the U.S. and the ruling Afghan Taliban regarding the ownership of 22 fighter jets and 24 combat helicopters.

The Taliban has expressed that they do not accept the agreement made between the U.S. and Uzbekistan and are demanding the return of their aerial assets.

The U.S. asserts that the aircraft and helicopters taken to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan by Afghan pilots during the 2021 government change were never owned by the Afghan government. These aircraft were provided by the U.S. for the Afghan government's use.

Jonathan Henick, the U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan, stated that the planes and helicopters will remain in Uzbekistan. Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense has issued a statement demanding that these aircraft and helicopters should be returned to Afghanistan.

The statement expressed hope that Uzbekistan will not make any agreements regarding the aircraft and helicopters and will help Afghanistan as a good neighbor.

Under the agreement between the U.S. and Uzbekistan, the planes and helicopters taken from Afghanistan will remain in Uzbekistan. However, it is unclear whether the Uzbek government has the right to use these aircraft.

Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense has rejected the U.S.-Uzbekistan agreement regarding the former Afghan military's aircraft, demanding their return.

Earlier, U.S. Ambassador to Uzbekistan Jonathan Henick had announced that Washington and Uzbekistan had reached an agreement on the status of the aircraft and helicopters that Afghan pilots flew to Uzbekistan in 2021.

Henick stated that these military planes would remain in Uzbekistan and clarified that they were never the property of the Afghan government but were used by the Afghan military under U.S. authority.

During the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, many Afghan fighters and helicopters were flown to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan by Afghan pilots.

At that time, a statement from Uzbekistan mentioned that 22 military aircraft and 24 helicopters from the Afghan Air Force were present in the country.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense's statement argued that the U.S. has no right to gift Afghan assets to another country.

The statement urged Uzbekistan to refrain from making any agreements and expressed hope that, as a neighboring country, Uzbekistan would make a good decision and cooperate in returning the Afghan Air Force's aircraft to Afghanistan.

Under the agreement between Washington and Tashkent, the former Afghan military's aircraft will remain in Uzbekistan, though it is unclear whether Uzbekistan will use them.