US Air Force foils plot to hijack Afghan flight

This week, the US Air Force revealed intelligence suggesting a plot to hijack a flight out of Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) in Kabul. Five men intended to hijack the aircraft back in August, but US forces foiled their plan.

This revelation was made public by a statement. "As a steady stream of C-17s entered HKIA, PRTF personnel started tracking military and commercial flights into HKIA. "

"The data they were tracking was pivotal to managing airflow/airspace and requests for additional airlift support based on the numbers they got through the gates" [Lt. Col. Brian] Desautels said.

"On one occasion after they received an intel tip, five people onboard one of the commercial flights intended to hijack the aircraft. 'Our team worked to get them clear of the NATO ramp, relocated to the north side away from friendly forces, then ultimately onto the south side where the situation was handled,'" he said.

The statement went on to reveal that the aircraft was moments away from being stormed but took off with just "a sliver of the remaining runway."

"The chaos extended outside the gates, where many of the same veterans' groups now working with the State Department and DOD had scrambled to charter flights. In some cases, flown to Afghanistan themselves to rescue the commandos, interpreters, and other Afghan staff who had helped them during their deployments," the Air Force continued.