AAF pilot may be forced to leave US base

KABUL (Pajhwok): An Afghan Air Force (AAF) officer could be asked to leave the US base where he has sought protection has been asked to rejoin his job.

Earlier, the Pentagon scrapped its decision on his arrival in the US.  Maj. Mohammed Naiem Asadi claims he has been told he will be forced to leave the base on Monday (today) if he does not rejoin AAF.

One of the few Afghan military’s elite attack helicopter pilots, Asad, his spouse and their 4-year-old daughter had been cleared to seek refuge in the US in early October.

The pilot was in “imminent danger of being killed by the Taliban,” Stars and Stripes reported, citing approval documents and emails.

But the Pentagon reversed its decision and withdrew its endorsement in early November. This left the AAF officer fearing violence from the Taliban and retribution from AAF for seeking asylum.

Kimberly Motley, Asadi’s lawyer,

wrote in a letter to US officials she was “extremely concerned” the major would be jailed if he was turned over to the Afghan government.

Stars and Stripes reported the 32-year-old pilot and his family have been living under US military protection for the last month.

But on Sunday, American and Afghan army officers informed Asadi he would be forced to leave the base if he did not return to duty.

The Defense Ministry in Kabul wanted to assure the pilot of its commitment to providing him security, said Fawad Aman, the ministry’s deputy spokesman.

Asadi told the US military news site he was cynical about the Afghan government’s ability and willingness to protect him and his family.

During thousands of flight hours, the major has reportedly killed more Taliban fighters than any other AAF pilot.

PAN Monitor/mud

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