The Mystery Of Afghanistan's Missing Planes: A Hostage Situation?

In September 2021, GOP Rep. Michael McCaul claimed that six planes carrying American citizens and Afghan refugees were being held hostage at Mazar-i-Sharif airport in Afghanistan by the Taliban. The Texas congressman asserted that the Taliban was holding them hostage for demands, specifically seeking full recognition from the United States as the legitimate governing power of Afghanistan. Marina LeGree, executive director of Ascend, a non-profit organisation, confirmed that there were approximately 600 to 1,200 people, including at least 19 American citizens, waiting for the flights outside the airport. The Taliban, however, attributed the grounding of the flights to issues with travel documents, stating that those without valid documents would not be allowed to leave.

The Taliban's demands

Firstly, it is important to understand the context in which these demands are being made. In August and September 2021, following the Taliban's rapid seizure of control in Afghanistan and the collapse of the Afghan government, hundreds of Afghan service members fled the country in US-supplied planes and helicopters. These aircraft, totalling at least 46, crossed into Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, carrying around 585 Afghan forces members. This mass escape of Afghan military personnel likely contributed to the Taliban's demands for the return of Afghan aircraft held in Central Asia.

The Taliban's acting Defence Minister, Mohammad Yaqoob, has repeatedly requested that Tajikistan and Uzbekistan return the helicopters and other aircraft that were flown into these countries by the Afghan Air Force. Yaqoob has claimed that these aircraft are the property of Afghanistan and that the Taliban are in talks with the respective governments to secure their return. He has also warned these countries not to test the Taliban's patience and to refrain from forcing them to take retaliatory steps to regain possession of the aircraft.

The US has maintained a firm stance against returning the aircraft to the Taliban, with US Ambassador to Tajikistan, John Mark Pommersheim, stating that "these aircraft will not be handed over to the Taliban because they do not belong to them." This sentiment has been echoed by US CENTCOM commander, General Michael Kurilla, who reiterated that the aircraft will not be returned to Afghanistan as they do not belong to the Taliban.

While the Taliban's demands specifically regarding the hostage planes are unclear, it has been suggested that they are seeking full recognition from the United States of America as the legitimate governing power of Afghanistan. This was inferred by GOP Rep. Michael McCaul, who claimed that the Taliban was holding the planes and their passengers hostage until their demands were met. When pressed on the specific demands, McCaul responded that the Taliban was not clearing the airplanes to depart and that they wanted something in exchange, possibly indicating a desire for recognition or legitimacy.

In addition to recognition, it is possible that the Taliban was seeking cash or other concessions from the US in exchange for allowing the planes to depart. This was suggested by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who stated that the Taliban may be demanding "cash or legitimacy as the government of Afghanistan" in exchange for allowing the planes to leave.

It is worth noting that the Taliban has publicly stated that they will allow safe passage for those who want to leave Afghanistan. However, the lack of international flights and the dangers associated with overland journeys have made it intensely difficult for those trying to evacuate the country.

The US's response

The State Department said it would hold the Taliban to its pledge to let people freely depart Afghanistan. A spokesperson for the department said:

> As with all Taliban commitments, we are focused on deeds not words, but we remind the Taliban that the entire international community is focused on whether they live up to their commitments.

The State Department also said it would help all remaining US citizens, green card holders, and at-risk Afghans who want to leave. However, it also said that it discourages chartered airplanes because, without personnel on the ground in Afghanistan, it could not confirm the planes' passenger manifests.

The White House said it did not have any information on the specific situation but noted that the US no longer has resources in Afghanistan. A spokesperson said:

> We do not have personnel on the ground, we do not have air assets in the country, we do not control the airspace — whether over Afghanistan or elsewhere in the region.

The White House chief of staff, Ron Klain, said the administration is "going to find ways" to get Americans who want to leave out of Afghanistan. He added that there were "around 100" Americans left in the country and that the administration would continue to work to evacuate Afghans eligible for special immigrant visas.

The number of planes being held hostage

McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News that the Taliban was holding the planes and their passengers hostage until their demands were met. He suggested that the Taliban wanted the United States to recognise them as Afghanistan's legitimate governing power. In response, Secretary of State Antony Blinken denied that a hostage situation was occurring, stating that the Taliban had only grounded aircraft because some passengers did not have valid travel documents.

The number of people waiting for these flights is also disputed. LeGree stated that between 600 and 1,200 people, including 19 American citizens, were waiting for the flights outside the airport. However, other sources claim that there were approximately 600 people, including at least 19 U.S. citizens and two green card holders.

The situation reflects the challenges faced by foreign governments in working with the Taliban, which had not yet formed a recognised government at the time. The Taliban's commitment to allow people to leave Afghanistan freely is being closely monitored by the international community.

The number of people being held hostage

In 2021, the Taliban prevented six planes carrying American citizens and Afghan refugees from departing Mazar-i-Sharif airport, with a top Republican lawmaker, Michael McCaul, claiming that the group was holding people "hostage". The exact number of people on these flights is unclear, with estimates ranging from 600 to 1,200. However, it is known that at least 19 American citizens and two green card holders were among those stranded.

In addition to these incidents, there have been numerous reports of foreign nationals, including Americans and Europeans, being detained by the Taliban. While the exact number of hostages is not known, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that "several" Americans are being held, and the British government has confirmed the detention of three UK citizens.

The Taliban's history of hostage-taking dates back to at least 2001, with the group frequently using this tactic to extract favors from the United States. For example, in 2014, the Obama administration released five high-ranking Taliban prisoners in exchange for the freedom of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who had been held captive for five years.

Overall, while the exact number of hostages being held in Afghanistan is difficult to determine due to the country's political instability and lack of a functional justice system, it is clear that the Taliban and other militant groups have frequently used hostage-taking as a tactic to gain political leverage and extract concessions from foreign governments.

The role of Ascend, a non-governmental organisation

Ascend is a non-governmental organisation that offers young women "athletics-based leadership training". Marina LeGree, the executive director of Ascend, told sources that the organisation had two planes waiting at the Mazar-i-Sharif airport for six days, awaiting permission from the Taliban to leave.

Ascend's members were among hundreds of individuals, including some American citizens, who were blocked by the Taliban from leaving Mazar-i-Sharif by charter plane. LeGree said that the group included female mountaineers, NGO workers, journalists, and women at risk. She also noted that the number of people waiting to leave was likely higher than the estimated 600 to 1,200, as more people were arriving and paying bribes to the gatekeepers.

LeGree's understanding of the situation was 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. She also mentioned that conditions were deteriorating, and that the Taliban had not allowed the planes to depart until its demands were met.

The State Department has said that it is prepared to help all remaining U.S. citizens and those at risk who want to leave Afghanistan. However, they have also expressed challenges in doing so due to the lack of U.S. personnel on the ground, making it difficult to confirm passenger manifests, flight plans, and aviation security protocols.

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