Afghan military jet shot down by Uzbek air defences

An Afghan military jet was shot down by Uzbek air defences as it tried to violate the border, Uzbekistan’s defence ministry was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency on Monday.

The aircraft came down on Sunday after crossing the border into Uzbekistan, and its pilot ejected and survived, the Uzbek defence ministry was quoted as saying earlier.

The ministry had said jet crashed in Uzbekistan’s southernmost Surxondaryo province adjacent to Afghanistan.

On Sunday, Uzbekistan said it had detained 84 Afghan soldiers who had crossed the border and sought medical help.

Separately, several military airplanes carrying over 100 Afghan soldiers in total have landed at the airport in the Tajik city of Bokhtar, the Tajik foreign affairs ministry was quoted as saying on Monday.

The Tajik authorities allowed the aircraft to enter the country's airspace and land after receiving a distress signal from them, Russia's RIA news agency quoted the ministry as saying.