The Mystery Of Grounded Planes In Afghanistan: An International Conundrum

In 2021, the Taliban reportedly held several planes in Afghanistan that were intended to evacuate American citizens and Afghan interpreters from the country. Texas Congressman Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee, stated that there were six planes in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan's fourth-largest city, that were prevented from leaving by the Taliban. The State Department warned the Taliban to uphold their pledge to let people depart Afghanistan freely. The situation highlighted the challenges faced by those seeking to evacuate from the country and the complex dynamics between the Taliban, the U.S., and other nations.

The Taliban is holding planes hostage until the US recognises them as Afghanistan's legitimate government

McCaul asserted that the Taliban was holding these planes and their passengers hostage in exchange for demands, including recognition as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. He expressed concern that the Taliban would continue to make demands, such as cash payments, before allowing the planes to depart.

Marina LeGree, executive director of Ascend, a non-profit organisation that provides leadership training for young Afghan women through athletics, confirmed that there were six planes unable to depart. She stated that the passengers, numbering between 600 and 1200, included at least 19 American citizens, two green card holders, female mountaineers, NGO workers, journalists, and women at risk. LeGree suggested that the primary issue was a negotiation between the Taliban and Kam Air, the Afghan airline operating the flights, over the cost of using the airport.

The State Department has stated that it is prepared to help all remaining U.S. citizens, green card holders, and at-risk Afghans who want to leave the country. However, they have also expressed difficulty in confirming the details of charter flights due to the absence of U.S. personnel on the ground in Afghanistan.

The US State Department has warned the Taliban to keep their word on allowing evacuees to leave

The Taliban has reportedly prevented multiple planes from leaving Afghanistan, with Texas Congressman Michael McCaul claiming that there were six planes in Mazar-i-Sharif—Afghanistan's fourth-largest city—that were prepared to leave but were not allowed to exit. These planes were said to be carrying American citizens, green card holders, and Afghans at risk.

The State Department has stated that it is prepared to help US citizens, lawful permanent residents, and at-risk Afghans depart the country. They have also said that they will hold the Taliban to their pledge to let people freely depart Afghanistan. The international community is focused on whether the Taliban will live up to their commitments.

The situation in Afghanistan has caused concern among many, with thousands of Afghans rushing to the Kabul airport in hopes of leaving the country. The US and its allies have evacuated over 100,000 Americans and allies from Afghanistan. However, there are still Americans and Afghans who wish to leave but are unable to do so.

The Taliban has made public commitments to provide safe passage for those wishing to leave Afghanistan, but there are doubts about whether they will uphold these promises. The US and other countries have emphasized the importance of allowing safe passage for those who want to depart. The future of Afghanistan remains uncertain, and the international community is closely watching to see if the Taliban will abide by their commitments.

The US does not have reliable means to confirm the basic details of charter flights

The US State Department has said that it does not have reliable means to confirm the basic details of charter flights. This is because the US does not have any personnel on the ground in Afghanistan, nor does it have any air assets in the country or control over the airspace. This means that the US cannot confirm who is organising the charter flights, the number of people on board, or where the flights plan to land.

The US State Department has also said that it will hold the Taliban to its pledge to let people freely depart Afghanistan. The Taliban has reportedly prevented several planes from leaving the country, with Texas Congressman Michael McCaul claiming that the Taliban is holding the planes hostage until its demands are met. These demands may include recognition, cash, or legitimacy as the government of Afghanistan.

Marina LeGree, executive director of Ascend, an NGO that offers young women athletics-based leadership training, has said that she knows of between 600 and 1200 people, including 19 US citizens and 2 green card holders, waiting near Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport. LeGree has said that the group includes female mountaineers, NGO workers, journalists, and women at risk, and that her understanding is that the Taliban is negotiating with Afghan airline Kam Air over price.

The US government has said that it is prepared to help all remaining US citizens, green card holders, and at-risk Afghans who want to leave the country. However, the US discourages chartered flights because it cannot properly confirm the planes' passenger manifests. An Afghan official at Mazar-i-Sharif Airport has said that many of the Afghan travellers did not have passports or visas.

The Taliban has expressed its intention to rebuild the Afghan Air Force

A high-ranking Kabul-based Taliban intelligence official stressed that having an air force is "compulsory". The Taliban spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence, Enayatullah Khwarizmi, has also announced that around five Afghan pilots have returned to the country and resumed their work.

The Taliban inherited more than 100 aircraft, most of which were inoperable, when it returned to power. The Western-backed Afghan republic had 162 aircraft, 131 of which were airworthy just before the government's collapse in August 2021. Some 25% of the aircraft were flown to neighbouring Uzbekistan and Tajikistan as Taliban fighters advanced on Kabul.

The Taliban has a history with the Afghan Air Force, maintaining the old structures and chain of command during its first stint in power in the 1990s. The group's air force then possessed some jets and helicopters operated by Afghan pilots and technicians who had defected to the Taliban.

The Taliban's effort to resurrect the Afghan Air Force has, however, run into turbulence. The group is struggling to get its dreams of building a modern air force off the ground, with at least five verified military aviation accidents recorded since seizing power in August 2021. While the Taliban has shown it can make use of helicopters and some leftover planes, it is far from recreating a functional air force capable of securing the skies.

The Taliban's air force is mainly manned by pilots and technicians trained by the US and its allies, with some even trained during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s. The group is attempting to train new pilots but has not released figures, suggesting a shortage of qualified personnel. Based on photos and videos, the Taliban now has approximately 50 operational planes and helicopters.

The US has purchased modern training aircraft for the Afghan Air Force

The US has been involved in the development of the Afghan Air Force since 2007, when it began working with NATO to rebuild and modernize the Afghan Air Force. The US has provided training, advice, and assistance to the Afghan Air Force from the ministerial level down to the wing, group, and squadron levels.

In 2016, the US Department of Defense (DoD) aimed to procure 30 additional armed MD-530F helicopters and 6 additional A-29 attack aircraft to replace the Mil Mi-35 in service with the AAF. The DoD asked for funds to add an additional five AC-208s to the fleet, with the requested FY2017 Afghan Security Forces Fund (ASFF) budget going to Congress on November 10, 2016.

The US has also purchased modern training aircraft for the Afghan Air Force, including Russian Mi-17 helicopters, MD 500 helicopters, and fixed-wing Cessna 182 and 208 planes. The Mi-17 is a Soviet design still produced by a state-owned arms manufacturer in Russia. The aircraft were relatively cheap and were familiar to Afghan pilots due to the decade-long Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s.

The US has provided 18 A-29s to the Afghan Air Force since 2016 and plans to transfer an additional six in February 2021. The A-29 is the Afghan Air Force's fastest and most powerful aerial interdiction and close-air-attack aircraft.

Despite the US's efforts, the Afghan Air Force still struggles with self-sufficiency. Some aviation experts say the Afghans will rely on American maintenance and other support for years.

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