KABUL, Jan. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- As part of efforts to strengthen the fledgling Afghan National Army (ANA), Afghan government would soonbegin talks with its neighbors to get back over two dozen militaryaircraft hijacked during the anti-Soviet war and civil strife, Defense Ministry spokesman said Sunday.

    "Defense Ministry would soon begin talks with Pakistan and Uzbekistan to retrieve Afghan aircrafts," Zahir Azimi told journalists here at a news briefing.

    Military personnel hijacked twenty-six former Soviet-made military planes, including thirteen jet fighters and nine helicopters of Afghan army during the wars in the past 25 years.

    Of these hijacked aircraft, according to the spokesman, 19 have been held in Pakistan and the others in Uzbekistan. Enditem