On August 14-15, Uzbekistan’s airspace was illegally crossed by 22 Afghan military planes and 24 military helicopters carrying 585 armed servicemen from the neighboring country. The aircraft were forcibly landed at Termez International Airport, the press service of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Uzbekistan said on Monday.
On August 15, three Afghan Embraer 314 military aircraft requested permission to land at Khanabad Airport in Karshi. They were redirected to Termez Airport accompanied by two MiG-29 military aircraft of the Uzbek Air Force.
“However, during the escort, the Embraer 314 and MiG-29 collided and crashed in the Sherabad district of the Surkhandarya region. The pilots of these planes ejected and landed on parachutes,” the statement said.
On the same day, 158 Afghan citizens and servicemen illegally entered the Termez district of Uzbekistan across the Amu Darya River.
The Prosecutor General of Uzbekistan instituted criminal proceedings under Article 223 (2) (b) of the Criminal Code (illegal travel abroad or illegal entry into the Republic of Uzbekistan by a group of persons with prior conspiracy). An investigation is underway.