Biden's defense secretary says concerned about Afghan pilots in Tajikistan

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed concern on Wednesday about U.S.-Afghan pilots and other personnel being held in Tajikistan after fleeing there last month, during a hearing where a lawmaker complained of foot-dragging by U.S. diplomats. "We will get with State (Department officials) right away to see if we can move this forward.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed concern on Wednesday about U.S.-Afghan pilots and other personnel being held in Tajikistan after fleeing there last month, during a hearing where a lawmaker complained of foot-dragging by U.S. diplomats.

"We will get with State (Department officials) right away to see if we can move this forward. I share your concerns," Austin said in response to Republican Rep. Austin Scott during a hearing at the House Armed Services Committee.

Reuters exclusively provided first-person accounts https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-echoes-uncertainty-afghan-pilots-await-us-help-tajikistan-2021-09-22 from U.S.-trained Afghan personnel being held at a sanatorium in a mountainous, rural area outside of the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, waiting and hoping for over a month for transfer by the United States. Among the 143 Afghans there is a pregnant pilot.