Taliban warns of consequences if choppers, planes not returned by Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) Acting Minister of Defence of Afghanistan Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob Mujahid has asked Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to bring back Afghanistan’s planes and choppers lest they will react forcefully, Khaama Press reported.

Speaking at a gathering of Afghan pilots and personnel of the Afghan Air Force, Yakoob Mujahid said that the planes and choppers that were flown out to the neighbouring countries by Afghan pilots after August 15 are the possession of Afghanistan thus they should be returned.

“We may relatively be weaker than those of our neighbour country but we are not cowardly and will take into account every single spare part of our planes and helicopters. I ask them respectfully to return our planes and helicopters and do not question our patience any further,” said the Defence Minister.

Son of the founder of Taliban, Mullah Omar, Yakoob Mujahid thanked all engineers, staff, and pilots of the Afghanistan Air Force for not leaving their country and having reactivated the Force and asked the Afghan pilots who have left Afghanistan to return to the country.

Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob further said that they are working for having an independent Air Force that is reliable to no foreign aid and will be used to protect people and the borders of Afghanistan.

Like other officials of IEA, Yaqoob also asked those Afghans who have left Afghanistan to return to the country and collaborate with them in developing the country, the report said.

–IANS

san/dpb