Newly Acquired Azman Aircraft A340-600 Helps Fly Afghan Refugees to Safety

Per Second NewsSeptember 2, 2021655

The chaotic Afghanistan refugee situation now stretches from Kabul to Tajikistan, U.S, Germany, and other parts of Europe. Kano based Azman Air is among the carriers helping to transport Afghan refugees into getaways across the globe, Per Second News gathered.

The aircraft with registration number 5N-AAM recently completed its certification with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), according to findings by Per Second News.

The 15-year-old, 409 seater aircraft was acquired by Azman Air in March 2020, the plane’s original owner was Virgin Atlantic.

The NCAA issued the aircraft type certification following proving flights to Blaise Diagne International Airport (DSS) in Senegal and Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) in Nassau, the Bahamas.

Tajikistan recruited the airline to help transport the refugees, this newspaper gathered.

Since the fall of Kabul, thousands of former Afghan military, police, and people who deem themselves in danger of Taliban reprisals have fled to neighboring countries. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the north and has opened its borders to Afghans looking to escape the Taliban.

Checks by Per Second News shows the aircraft’s last location was in Sariasiya, Uzbekistan about 5 days ago.

The U.S Pentagon said last week it called up 18 civilian aircraft from United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air and others to carry people from temporary locations after they landed on flights from Afghanistan.

Afghans have suffered more than 40 years of conflict, natural disasters, chronic poverty, food insecurity and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic. Violence in Afghanistan is worsening in intensity and spreading in reach – causing even more human suffering and displacement.

Nearly 6 million Afghans have been driven out of their homes and their country by conflict, violence and poverty, according to the UN Refugee agency.

“Afghanistan’s displacement crisis is one of the largest and most protracted in UNHCR’s seven-decade history. We’re now seeing a third generation of Afghan children born in exile,’’ says UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi.