U.S. recovers Black Hawk helicopters amid Taliban tensions
The United States successfully recovered seven UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters that Afghan army pilots used to escape the Taliban in 2021. This is just a portion of the massive stockpile of equipment that Donald Trump has vowed to address diplomatically.
At a rally in Washington on the eve of his inauguration, Donald Trump conditioned further financial aid to Afghanistan on the return of American military equipment left behind in 2021 by Afghan and American forces and subsequently captured by the Taliban. The Taliban quickly responded, stating they do not intend to return the American equipment. Despite this, the United States has now recovered several UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. How did this happen?
The United States retrieved seven Black Hawk helicopters from Afghanistan
This task was notably simpler because it involved seven UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters that Afghan army pilots flew to neighboring Uzbekistan. The authorities in Tashkent are cooperative with the United States and positively responded to the request to return the equipment. They decided to take this step, even though Kabul had demanded that the helicopters be sent back to Afghanistan.
"We have recovered these seven helicopters," confirmed a source at the U.S. embassy in Tashkent to AFP. Previously, Voice of America reported on the transfer of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from Uzbekistan to the United States, citing sources in the Pentagon.
The UH-60 Black Hawk is a multi-purpose transport and infantry support helicopter capable of reaching speeds of nearly 186 mph and operating at altitudes up to approximately 20,000 feet. Besides the crew, it can accommodate up to 11 soldiers with full equipment or 20 people without gear.
A high-stakes game: equipment worth up to $7 billion
According to experts from the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), citing satellite images, over 45 American helicopters and planes (then serving in the Afghan army) were evacuated to Uzbekistan in 2021. It is unclear in what technical condition they are, but these machines may be considered for return by the United States (some Mi-17 helicopters were already taken and handed over to Ukraine).
The situation differs with the equipment remaining in Afghanistan, now in Taliban hands, who consider it their own. A 2022 report by the U.S. Department of Defense indicated that American forces leaving Afghanistan left behind military equipment valued at nearly $7 billion in the country.
Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized Joe Biden's administration for the way the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, claiming many mistakes were made and the actions were chaotic.
