Taliban seize Mi-35 chopper gifted by India to Afghanistan

PTI photo

New Delhi: A video has surfaced on social media suggesting that a Mi-35 helicopter has been seized by the Taliban at the Kunduz airbase.

The helicopter reportedly seized by the Taliban from Afghan National Defence Forces may possibly have been one of the choppers gifted by India to Afghanistan a few years ago as part of capability building of the war-torn country.India had gifted four of these refurbished choppers to Afghanistan to strengthen its capability.

Indian defence forces declined to comment on the issue, saying that they would not like to comment on the internal matters of Afghanistan.

The video of the Kunduz airfield suggests that the chopper may have been defunct as it was without rotors.

The serial number of the chopper seized by the Taliban shows number 123 which is similar to that of the choppers gifted by India, sources said.

These four gunships were present at the Pathankot air base in 2016 when terrorists attacked there and they could have been one of the main targets along with the other fighter aircraft there.

Taliban have been making advances against Afghanistan forces following withdrawal of US troops from the country.