Uzbekistan’s Foreign Ministry has firmly rejected reports suggesting that Afghan military helicopters would be returned to the Taliban-led Islamic Emirate, underlining once again that Tashkent’s position on the matter has not changed.
Uzbek media quoted ministry spokesperson Akhror Burkhanov as saying that such claims are baseless, and Uzbekistan has no plans to hand over the helicopters, which were flown into the country by Afghan pilots after the collapse of the previous government in 2021.
The rejection is a fresh reminder of the Taliban’s growing frustration on the international stage. Despite repeated appeals, including a recent demand from Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Taliban’s acting Foreign Minister, that the helicopters be returned for “humanitarian purposes” such as earthquake relief operations, their requests have failed to produce results.
Analysts note that the hesitation of Uzbekistan — and much of the world — to recognize or cooperate fully with the Taliban reflects the group’s continuing struggle for international legitimacy. Nearly four years after seizing Kabul, the Taliban remain diplomatically isolated, with their claims to state authority still widely unrecognized.
