DAWN - the Internet Edition
23 September 2001 Sunday 05 Rajab 1422
US warplanes land in Uzbekistan
TASHKENT, Sept 22: US warplanes have landed in the former Soviet
republic of Uzbekistan, as Russian President Vladimir Putin, after an
extended silence, voiced readiness to cooperate with US plans to
strike Afghanistan - but only after they are approved by the UN
security council.
Uzbek military sources said on Saturday that the US jets were
stationed just outside the Uzbek capital of Tashkent and were equipped
with surveillance devices, presumably aimed at the Taliban.
Uzbek officials had previously denied that they were willing to
cooperate with the US in its fight against the Taliban.
Heavily armed US attack helicopters are still stationed on a military
base some 40 kilometres east of Tashkent, following joint NATO-Uzbek
military exercises in the region this month.
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