KABUL (Pajhwok): Over 140 Afghan Air Force (AAF) pilots and crew members have been flown out of Tajikistan, reports a leading US newspaper.
The US-trained pilots had been detained in the Central Asian country in mid-August after fleeing Afghanistan.
On Tuesday, they were flown out of the Tajikistan with America’s help, The New York Times quoted a retired US Air Force officer as saying.
Bound for the United Arab Emirates, the flight marked an end to a three-month ordeal for the Afghan military personnel.
As many as 143 AAF pilots, including two women, one of whom is pregnant, had fled to Tajikistan in military planes after the Taliban seized power in Kabul, according to Reuters.
Speaking to the British media outlet, the 29-year-old pregnant pilot had expressed concerns about risks to her and her unborn child.
Later on, she was taken to a maternity hospital before being transferred back to the sanatorium ahead of her departure.
PAN Monitor/mud
Hits: 14