TASHKENT, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Afghan soldiers fled to Uzbekistan in 22 military planes and 24 helicopters over the weekend, including one aircraft that collided with an escorting Uzbek fighter jet causing both to crash, Uzbek prosecutors said on Monday.
A total of 585 Afghan soldiers have arrived on aircraft and 158 more crossed the border on foot on Sunday, the Uzbek prosecutor general's office said in a statement.
The statement contradicted earlier comments by the Uzbek defence ministry which said the Afghan military plane was shot down by Uzbek air defence forces.
The Afghan government collapsed on Sunday and Taliban insurgents took control of the capital Kabul. read more
The Afghan jet crashed late on Sunday in Uzbekistan's southernmost Surxondaryo province adjacent to Afghanistan. Prosecutors said pilots of both Afghan and Uzbek planes had ejected and survived.
It was unclear from prosecutors' statement where the Afghan soldiers and aircraft were at the moment, having been forced to land in the border city of Termez when they initially arrived.
Tajikistan, another former Soviet republic bordering Afghanistan, also said on Monday that two Afghan military planes carrying over 100 soldiers in total were allowed to land in the Tajik city of Bokhtar.
Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Alex Richardson
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-military-jet-crashes-uzbekistan-report-2021-08-16/
Afghan military jet shot down by Uzbek air defences
Plane downed in Uzbekistan’s southernmost Surxondaryo province as Afghan gov’t collapses and Taliban seize Kabul.
An Afghan military jet was shot down by Uzbek air defence forces and crashed after crossing the border into Uzbekistan, the Uzbek defence ministry says.
The jet crashed late on Sunday in Uzbekistan’s southernmost Surxondaryo province, which lies adjacent to Afghanistan.
The incident took place as Afghanistan’s government collapsed in the face of a rapid Taliban offensive which saw the armed group seize control of the capital, Kabul.
“Uzbekistan’s air defence forces prevented an attempt by an Afghan military aircraft to illegally cross Uzbekistan’s border,” defence ministry spokesman Bahrom Zulfikorov said.
He did not say how many people were on board or whether they have survived the crash.
Bekpulat Okboyev, a doctor in Surxondaryo province, told the AFP news agency his hospital had taken in two patients who were wearing Afghan military uniforms on Sunday evening.
The doctor described one of the patients as having come in “with a parachute” and noted that the man had suffered fractures.
Images and footage on the Telegram messaging app showed a man in military uniform receiving treatment and what appeared to be debris from the plane crash.
Russia’s RIA news agency earlier on Monday cited Uzbekistan’s defence ministry as saying the jet’s pilot had ejected and was injured.
The developments came after Uzbekistan said on Sunday that it had detained 84 Afghan soldiers who had crossed the border while fleeing the Taliban and sought medical help.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Tajikistan, another former Soviet nation that borders Afghanistan, said on Monday that several military aeroplanes carrying more than 100 Afghan soldiers in total had landed at the airport in its southwestern city of Bokhtar.
The Tajik authorities allowed the aircraft to enter the country’s airspace and land after receiving a distress signal, RIA quoted the Tajik foreign affairs ministry as saying.
“Tajikistan received SOS signals, after which, in accordance with the country’s international obligations, it was decided to allow Afghan servicemen to land at the airport,” the Tajik foreign ministry’s information department told Russian news agencies Interfax and RIA Novosti.
Central Asia has watched with alarm as the Afghan government in Kabul collapsed.
Three former Soviet countries – Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – border Afghanistan.
Of the three, only Tajikistan has eschewed talks with Taliban officials, who have assured neighbours of their commitment to regional peace and infrastructure projects.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/16/afghan-military-jet-shot-down-by-uzbek-air-defences
A total of 585 Afghan soldiers have arrived on aircraft and 158 more crossed the border on foot on Sunday, the Uzbek prosecutor general's office said in a statement.
The statement contradicted earlier comments by the Uzbek defence ministry which said the Afghan military plane was shot down by Uzbek air defence forces.
The Afghan government collapsed on Sunday and Taliban insurgents took control of the capital Kabul. read more
The Afghan jet crashed late on Sunday in Uzbekistan's southernmost Surxondaryo province adjacent to Afghanistan. Prosecutors said pilots of both Afghan and Uzbek planes had ejected and survived.
It was unclear from prosecutors' statement where the Afghan soldiers and aircraft were at the moment, having been forced to land in the border city of Termez when they initially arrived.
Tajikistan, another former Soviet republic bordering Afghanistan, also said on Monday that two Afghan military planes carrying over 100 soldiers in total were allowed to land in the Tajik city of Bokhtar.
Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Alex Richardson
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-military-jet-crashes-uzbekistan-report-2021-08-16/
Afghan military jet shot down by Uzbek air defences
Plane downed in Uzbekistan’s southernmost Surxondaryo province as Afghan gov’t collapses and Taliban seize Kabul.
An Afghan military jet was shot down by Uzbek air defence forces and crashed after crossing the border into Uzbekistan, the Uzbek defence ministry says.
The jet crashed late on Sunday in Uzbekistan’s southernmost Surxondaryo province, which lies adjacent to Afghanistan.
The incident took place as Afghanistan’s government collapsed in the face of a rapid Taliban offensive which saw the armed group seize control of the capital, Kabul.
“Uzbekistan’s air defence forces prevented an attempt by an Afghan military aircraft to illegally cross Uzbekistan’s border,” defence ministry spokesman Bahrom Zulfikorov said.
He did not say how many people were on board or whether they have survived the crash.
Bekpulat Okboyev, a doctor in Surxondaryo province, told the AFP news agency his hospital had taken in two patients who were wearing Afghan military uniforms on Sunday evening.
The doctor described one of the patients as having come in “with a parachute” and noted that the man had suffered fractures.
Images and footage on the Telegram messaging app showed a man in military uniform receiving treatment and what appeared to be debris from the plane crash.
Russia’s RIA news agency earlier on Monday cited Uzbekistan’s defence ministry as saying the jet’s pilot had ejected and was injured.
The developments came after Uzbekistan said on Sunday that it had detained 84 Afghan soldiers who had crossed the border while fleeing the Taliban and sought medical help.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Tajikistan, another former Soviet nation that borders Afghanistan, said on Monday that several military aeroplanes carrying more than 100 Afghan soldiers in total had landed at the airport in its southwestern city of Bokhtar.
The Tajik authorities allowed the aircraft to enter the country’s airspace and land after receiving a distress signal, RIA quoted the Tajik foreign affairs ministry as saying.
“Tajikistan received SOS signals, after which, in accordance with the country’s international obligations, it was decided to allow Afghan servicemen to land at the airport,” the Tajik foreign ministry’s information department told Russian news agencies Interfax and RIA Novosti.
Central Asia has watched with alarm as the Afghan government in Kabul collapsed.
Three former Soviet countries – Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – border Afghanistan.
Of the three, only Tajikistan has eschewed talks with Taliban officials, who have assured neighbours of their commitment to regional peace and infrastructure projects.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/16/afghan-military-jet-shot-down-by-uzbek-air-defences
