Afghan military pilots and servicemen detained in Tajikistan

According to American media, 143 Afghan military pilots and servicemen have been detained in Tajikistan.

Photo: Internet

The U.S. State Department stated that they maintain regular contacts with the Tajik government to secure the release of Afghan military pilots and servicemen.

Reports of the detention of Afghan pilots and servicemen in Tajikistan have gained significant attention in American and Afghan social media. Meanwhile, some Afghan users claim that the number of detained Afghan servicemen in Tajikistan is much higher than reported by American media.

Additionally, some American users write that the detained pilots fought as part of U.S. armed forces in Afghanistan and now hope that the U.S. government will rescue them, but President Biden has left them to their fate.

American media also report that these pilots speak English, are trained by the U.S. Air Force, and hope that the U.S. government or American military will evacuate them, as well as help evacuate their families from Afghanistan.

Most Afghan military pilots and servicemen fled the country after the fall of the Ghani government. Some military personnel escaped to neighboring countries such as Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. However, instead of granting them asylum in accordance with international norms, the authorities of these countries detained many and placed them in custody.

The government of Emomali Rahmon in Tajikistan consistently claims to support ethnic Tajiks in Afghanistan. However, it is reported that those who fled to Tajikistan seeking asylum after the fall of the Ghani regime on August 15 are ethnic Tajiks who served in the country’s army and fought against the Taliban for the past 20 years.