By Phil Stewart

WASHINGTON (Reuters – She made sure she had her prenatal vitamins – it was one of few items this U.S.-trained Afghan pilot, who flew with the Air Force during the Taliban overthrow.

After fleeing to save her own life, and the unborn baby’s in August, she claims that she is unable to get an ultrasound nor visit a hospital.

Instead, she fears her son could soon be born into a strange kind of captivity in rural Tajikistan, alongside more than 140 other Afghan military personnel, almost all of them men, who flew across Afghanistan’s northern border together and are now being held https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-echoes-uncertainty-afghan-pilots-await-us-help-tajikistan-2021-09-22 at a sanatorium in the mountains.

In her first comment to a journalist, the Air Force captain said that she was worried about her baby.

After Tajik officials took away the Afghans’ identification papers and phone phones, she was using a hidden telephone to communicate with her family. Because of her fears about the safety of her family in Afghanistan, she requested anonymity.

Tajik authorities denied her request to move her closer to an urgent care facility, despite the fact that her due date was in mid-November.

They said, “No. She said that when your due date arrives, we’ll take you to the hospital.

The group, which has been held in Tajikistan since nearly two months now, hopes that the United States will soon fly them to America in order for them to receive refugee status. This hasn’t happened yet, for unclear reasons.

They claim that Tajik authorities continue to tell them to be patient.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a congressional hearing last week he was concerned https://www.reuters.com/world/us/bidens-defense-secretary-says-concerned-about-afghan-pilots-tajikistan-2021-09-29 about the pilots in Tajikistan and would work with the State Department to “see if we can move this forward.”

Austin Scott (Republican Congressman) raised the issue of the pregnant pilot at the hearing and expressed disappointment with how the State Department handled her case.

According to him, the Tajik government had told his office that the Tajik department was aware of the pilot’s pregnancy and advised anyone who needed emergency medical attention to go to the nearest hospital.

Scott stated to Reuters that Scott had been unable to provide any assistance beyond this.

Although the State Department stated that they were “coordinating with Tajikistan’s government” in the matter, it declined to provide any explanation for the delays or the reason why pilots are being held.

John Kirby, Pentagon spokesperson (NYSE : ) stated that U.S. Defense was working with State Departments to “ensure we pursue the appropriate options for these Pilots”.

Kirby said to Reuters, “We feel we owe this brave individual and his family to do everything we can help them relocate.”

An American official spoke on condition of anonymity and said that it was difficult to gain access to Afghans at the Sanatorium.

The Tajikistani healthcare ministry refused to respond to Reuters’ specific questions about the delayed situation, but stated that the sanatorium is staffed by medical personnel.

BIGGEST TABLET TARGETS

U.S.-trained, English-speaking Afghan pilots were among the Taliban’s biggest targets during the war https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghan-pilots-assassinated-by-taliban-us-withdraws-2021-07-09.

In Tajikistan, Afghan air force personnel are believed to remain in tact after several advanced aircraft flew over the Afghan border from Tajikistan to Uzbekistan at the end of war.

Earlier in September, a U.S.-brokered deal allowed a larger group of Afghan pilots and other military personnel to be flown out of Uzbekistan https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/exclusive-theyll-kill-us-afghan-pilots-held-uzbek-camp-fear-deadly-homecoming-2021-09-03.

He was a U.S.-backed Afghan government worker and he evacuated the wife with her. They feel trapped.

She expressed concern that the medical personnel of the Dushanbe sanatorium were not equipped to treat pregnancies.

“We feel like prisoner here. Not even like refugees, not even like immigrants. “We don’t even have legal papers or a way to purchase anything for ourselves,” she stated.

Reuters reports that U.S. authorities have been collecting biometric information in order to identify members of the group. It is a clear sign that aid could be coming. Similar efforts were made in Uzbekistan before the pilots’ transfers.

People close to pilots claim that the United States has not collected biometric information on about one-third of the group.

According to the pregnant pilot, it was a relief that an international organization had dropped off winter clothing at the Afghan sanatorium. Also, lots of baby supplies, such as warm clothes, were available.

However, this also meant that she was preparing for an extended stay in Tajikistan.

She said that they are providing clothing and many other things so we will stay here,” adding, in a defeating tone, “I don’t know what the future holds.”