Uzbekistan may return 57 helicopters from Afghanistan

Information has emerged that Uzbekistan may return 57 military helicopters belonging to Afghanistan. This was reported by Zamin.uz.

According to Afghanistan International, these helicopters were taken out of the country during the overthrow of the Afghan government in 2021. Military equipment belonging to the former Afghan army was transported to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan by Afghan military pilots after the Taliban came to power in August 2021.

According to Pentagon data, a total of 46 aircraft were stationed in Uzbekistan, and another 18 in Tajikistan. Among this military equipment are Mi-17 and UH-60 helicopters, as well as PC-12, C-208, AC-208, and A-29 model airplanes.

The Taliban government has repeatedly demanded the return of this equipment over the past years, but officials in Tashkent and Dushanbe have not made clear statements on the matter. At the same time, the US ambassador to Uzbekistan stated that the 46 aircraft would remain under Uzbekistan's control based on a new agreement.

The US embassy for Afghanistan expressed gratitude to the Tajik government for not handing over the aircraft to the Taliban government. It is worth noting that in February 2025, the Voice of America reported that 7 helicopters were transferred from Uzbekistan to the United States.

This situation has been sharply criticized by the Taliban Ministry of Defense.