Latifullah Hakimi, general director for the commission that controls airports, said the former government owned 164 aircraft, 81 of which are still in the country.

Islamic Emirate officials said that only 41 out of the 81 military aircraft are operational at the present.

He said more than half of the Afghan military aircraft were flown abroad during the collapse of the former government in mid-August.

“We have 41 working aircraft which were repaired by Afghan engineers. We will work on the others to be operational as well,” said Hakimi

Hakimi said that former Afghan officials and military people flew dozens of aircraft to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

The government has begun efforts to regain the aircraft.

Meanwhile, military experts urged the Islamic Emirate to guard the military aircraft and equipment.

“The Taliban-led government must know that these aircraft--including helicopters and thousands of pieces of military equipment and weapons--are the national treasury of Afghanistan,” said Gen. Farid Ahmadi, a former army commander.

Based on reports, the United States spent over $8 billion in the past 20 years to support Afghanistan’s air force.