Pentagon Confirms US Military-Sourced Aircraft In Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

Last month, a number of pilots and personnel with the Afghan air force fled Afghanistan aboard aircraft that had been supplied to the country by the United States. Many of those Afghans and aircraft are now in either nearby Uzbekistan or Tajikistan, Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby said during a briefing Wednesday.

Despite the confirmation, Kirby said the Pentagon is still seeking to clarify details.

Kirby said while the U.S. doesn’t currently have information about the status of Afghan air force personnel, it is working now to find options for what will happen to the aircraft — at least those that made it to Tajikistan.

“I don’t have any updates for the pilots, aircrew and I think some families that might be in Tajikistan,” Kirby said, referring questions about the status of those individuals to the U.S. State Department.

“As to the aircraft — as I said the other day, we have numerous options available to explore with respect to the disposition of those aircraft and we haven’t made any final decisions and we’re working our way through what those options are right now,” Kirby said.