WASHINGTON – Under pressure from the Taliban, Uzbekistan has warned the United States that a group of highly trained Afghan pilots who fled there two weeks ago aboard Afghan Air Force helicopters and planes are facing expulsion from the country , officials say.
Uzbekistan urges Washington to act quickly to take the pilots to a third country to avoid Taliban relations in neighboring Afghanistan, officials say. Uzbekistan maintains relations with the group for years, while carefully protecting between competing powers to influence Afghanistan.
The U.S. effort to train and build an Afghan air force was one of the most celebrated programs in support of the country’s military. The United States spent billions of dollars on the air force, including training, maintenance and supply of dozens of helicopters and planes.
The Afghan government and army collapsed earlier this month and the Taliban took control of most of the country.
Some Afghan pilots flew to safety with hundreds of relatives and colleagues aboard 46 helicopters and planes of the Afghan Air Force. These pilots are among the Taliban’s most hated enemies for their role in the airstrikes that caused a large number of casualties during the decades-long conflict. The Taliban have also called on Uzbekistan to return the plane to Afghanistan.