The New York Times reported that an initial group of Afghan pilots, who flew themselves and their families to Uzbekistan on an Afghan Air Force aircraft, has been transferred to a U.S. military base in the United Arab Emirates. Two more groups of Afghan pilots and their relatives are expected to be transferred in the coming days, under an arrangement negotiated by the United States with Uzbekistan to relocate over 450 Afghans. The pilots are among the most despised members of the Afghan army by the Taliban due to their role in carrying out airstrikes against the group's fighters. Following the fall of Kabul, the Taliban pressured the Uzbek government to hand over the pilots.
Since 2010, the Department of Defense has allocated over $8.5 billion to develop the Afghan air force. Former pilot and Republican Congressman August Pfluger, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, stated in a phone interview, "I am very happy they are out, but it hasn’t been a smooth process. The pilots were the strike force of the Afghan army against the Taliban, and it’s extremely important that we do everything we can to protect them."
The wife of one Afghan pilot, American Jeri, said her husband texted her Sunday afternoon that he landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport after spending about a month in Uzbekistan. He noted that there were about 175 people on board his flight. Jeri added, "I feel so much better. I haven't felt this relief in a very long time." She continued, "It’s unclear when my husband will be able to come to the United States. The last time we spoke, he said he was undergoing a coronavirus test and waiting for the results. I hope he comes to Texas or anywhere in the U.S. so we can go to him."
It was not immediately clear whether this group of Afghans would eventually be relocated to the United States or elsewhere, according to The New York Times. The Wall Street Journal revealed that the U.S. and Uzbekistan reached an agreement to transport a group of Afghan Air Force pilots and their relatives to a U.S. military base in Qatar. Pfluger noted that after the Afghan pilots were transferred to Abu Dhabi, the fate of over 40 aircraft, including A-29s, Black Hawks, and Mi-17 helicopters, remains uncertain, stating, "We don’t want them to fall into the hands of the Taliban or al-Qaeda." The Afghan Air Force had provided air support to besieged Afghan ground forces and facilitated the supply and evacuation of hundreds from frontline locations and bases across the country during the final months of fighting.
