“Some people may not be happy with me but I tell them that the country is like a mother and nobody should betray it,” says Mohammad Edris Momand.
He is among a small group of UStrained Afghan military pilots who were handpicked to defend their country in the years leading up to the Taliban’s return.
But when Islamist fighters tried to retake Kabul last year, he turned his back on his allies and handed over his helicopter to former enemies.
He is believed to be the only exAfghan Army pilot to have done so.
“My goal was to protect an asset that belongs to Afghanistan,” he told the BBC.
2 of 5 Momand is among a select group of UStrained pilots — Photo: MOHAMMAD EDRIS MOMAND via BBC
Momand is among a select group of UStrained pilots — Photo: MOHAMMAD EDRIS MOMAND via BBC
Momand joined the Afghan military in 2009 and went to the United States to complete a grueling fouryear training program at the American Military Academy — known as West Point.
He was told it costs up to $6 million to train a helicopter pilot in the US. Momand cherishes that opportunity and still cherishes the day she made her first sortie — or operational flight — in the United States.
“I was very happy and excited. I couldn’t believe that a day like this would come in my life,” he says.
Only after training did he return home and see his family again.
First he was sent to Herat in western Afghanistan, where he flew Russianbuilt Mi17 helicopters. A few years later he had another opportunity.
“In late 2018, a small group of young pilots who had studied cuttingedge Air Force technology were selected to fly Black Hawk helicopters. From then on I flew Black Hawks.”
These military helicopters were used in supply and transport roles.
3 of 5 Momand has flown a variety of helicopters for the Afghan Air Force — Photo: MOHAMMAD EDRIS MOMAND via BBC
Momand piloted a variety of helicopters for the Afghan Air Force — Photo: MOHAMMAD EDRIS MOMAND via BBC
For years, the US and its allies have invested tens of billions of dollars in training and equipping Afghan forces in the hope that once foreign forces leave the country, they can contain the Taliban.
But that hope turned into an illusion.
The Afghan army lost control of the country to the Taliban surprisingly quickly after US President Joe Biden announced in a speech last April that the last US troops would leave the country on 9/11.
When Afghanistan descended into chaos in July, the departure date had to be brought forward to August 31. But the Taliban advance was faster.
On August 6, the first provincial capital was taken by the militants. One by one cities and towns fell into the hands of the insurgents until the group took Kabul with virtually no resistance on August 15.
Afghan forces, which had been trained and equipped at great expense, simply collapsed and many of the country’s leaders fled, along with tens of thousands of other Afghans and foreigners.
Biden has criticized Afghan leaders who have fled saying the country’s military has “given up, often without trying to fight”.
4 of 5 Momand says he will serve his country until he dies — Photo: MOHAMMAD EDRIS MOMAND
Momand says he will serve his country until he dies — Photo: MOHAMMAD EDRIS MOMAND
Momand knew to whom he owed allegiance.
He recalls reporting for duty at Kabul Air Force Base on August 14. The situation was tense, the Taliban at the gates of the capital. There were rumors that top political and military leaders were plotting to escape.
The airport was under US military control, but it was unknown how long it would remain safe.
“Our air force commander ordered all pilots to leave the country. He instructed us to go to Uzbekistan,” Momand recalls.
He was irritated by the order and decided not to obey.
“My commander urged me to betray my country. Why should I obey such an order?”
Momand asked her family for advice. He says his father told him he would never forgive him if he left the country and warned him:
“The helicopter belongs to Afghanistan.”
Momand province, Kunar in the east of the country, had already fallen into Taliban hands. His father spoke to the local governor, who assured him that he would be safe if he went there by helicopter.
Momand then devised an escape plan but first he had to get rid of his crew.
“Each Black Hawk has a crew of four. I knew I couldn’t trust them with my plan. I was sure they would not agree. They would have endangered my life and even destroyed the helicopter.”
Then he devised a strategy to fool her.
“I told the Air Force commander that the helicopter had technical problems and I couldn’t take off.
After all other helicopters took off, he started the engine for a 30minute solo flight to Kunar.
“The Americans were controlling air traffic control. So I told them over the radio that I was taking off for Uzbekistan. After exiting the airport, I turned off the radar mode and flew straight to Kunar.”
“I ended up in my village, near my house. After receiving assurances from the Taliban, I took the helicopter to a place where helicopters used to be refueled.”
He says his family, friends and neighbors fully supported his decision.
Momand claims she has no regrets about her actions. He points out that he had the opportunity to leave Afghanistan with his wife and children, but chose to stay.
“American advisers sent me three messages. They said, ‘Even if you can’t bring the helicopter with you, come down the street with your family members to be evacuated.’ But I didn’t take the offer.”
5 of 5 Momand, seen here in August 2022, says only seven Black Hawk helicopters are now operational — Photo: MOHAMMAD EDRIS MOMAND via BBC
Momand, seen here in August 2022, says only seven Black Hawk helicopters are currently operational — Photo: MOHAMMAD EDRIS MOMAND via BBC
As of late June 2021, the Afghan Air Force was operating 167 aircraft, including helicopters and attack aircraft, according to a report by the USbased Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (Sigar).
Some of these aircraft were flown out of the country by Momand’s colleagues. Analysis of satellite imagery of Uzbekistan’s Termez Airport on Aug. 16 shows that more than two dozen helicopters were stationed there, including Black Hawks, Mi17s and Mi25s, as well as several ALight 29 and C208 fighter jets.
American troops did what they could to sabotage most of the planes and helicopters abandoned in Kabul.
It is unclear how many are still deployed in Afghanistan today.
“We now have seven operational Black Hawk helicopters. Afghan engineers with limited resources were able to repair them. Gradually, we will put more Black Hawk helicopters into service,” says Momand.
Far from feeling that he has failed his comrades, Momand blames them, saying they inflicted heavy casualties on Afghanistan by blindly following orders to leave the country.
“Those who flew to Uzbekistan in their helicopter really let the country down. The helicopters belong to our country. They cost too much. I don’t think we’ll ever get them back.”
Momand sees no contradiction in piloting her Black Hawk for the Taliban as she was trained by the US to fight the insurgency.
“Governments are always changing. People like us belong to the nation and serve the nation. The military shouldn’t get involved in politics. The country has invested a lot in people like me.”
Although the Taliban have been in power for a year, no country has officially recognized them as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan.
Still, Momand remains determined.
“I will continue in my field to serve my nation to the last day of my life.”