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Updated August 12th, 2021 at 19:14 IST

Taliban takes over Kunduz airbase in Afghanistan, seizes India-gifted Mi-35 chopper

Taliban has seized the Mi-35 helicopter from Afghan defence forces at the Kunduz airbase and as per ANI, it might have been one of the choppers gifted by India.

Reported by: Aanchal Nigam
Afghanistan
IMAGE: ANI/AP/Representative | Image:self
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The Taliban has seized an Mi-35 helicopter from Afghan National Defence Forces at the Kunduz airbase and as per ANI, it might have been one of the choppers gifted by India to Afghanistan a few years ago. India donated four attack helicopters to Afghanistan, and according to pictures and videos on Twitter, one of them has been taken by the insurgents after they took over the airport in Kunduz in the northeast. Taliban has continued to gain ground in the war-torn nation and as per the news agency, Indian defence forces have declined to comment on the issue. 

Reportedly, the Indian defence force has said that they would not like to comment on the internal matters of Afghanistan. While US President Joe Biden has declared that US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan will be completed by August 31, the Taliban has unleashed one of its most severe attacks on the government’s forces conquering most of the country. The videos from the Kunduz airfield suggest that the chopper might have been defunct as it was without rotors. 

The serial number of the chopper seized by the extremists is '123', which is also similar to that of the choppers gifted by India, ANI stated citing sources. Four gunships presented by India were at the Pathankot airbase in 2016 when terrorists attacked there and they might have been one of the main targets along with another fighter aircraft at the same place. Meanwhile, as the US has ramped up efforts to pull out before the approaching deadline, the Taliban’s advances in Afghanistan now include the fall of six provincial capitals to the militant organisation.

Some Afghans blame neighbouring Pakistan

As per the Associated Press report, as the Taliban is tightening its grip on the country, several Afghans have blamed Pakistan for the insurgents’ success indicating the use of Pakistani territories by militants. Even though analysts reportedly say that Pakistan’s leverage is overestimated, it does allow the Taliban leadership on its territory. Pakistani hospitals have even treated the wounded insurgents and their children are in school in Pakistan and some among them even own property. As per the report, some of the Pakistani officials have deemed the extremists as “the new, civilized Taliban”.

Ismail Khan, a prominent US-allied warlord who is reportedly trying to defend his territory of Herat from the Taliban, said, “I can say openly to Afghans that this war, it isn’t between Taliban and the Afghan Government. It is Pakistan’s war against the Afghan nation. The Taliban are their resource and are working as servants.”

IMAGE: ANI/AP/Representative
 

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Published August 12th, 2021 at 19:13 IST

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