August 21, 2021
1 min read

Taliban seize abandoned US military weapons

The Taliban have seized airplanes, tanks and artillery from Afghan outposts and from evacuating US personnel, revealing one of the heavier costs of a troop withdrawal amid a collapse of Afghanistan’s government and army, reports Asian Lite News

Afghanistans military has laid down its weapons, and the Taliban have wasted little time in collecting them, raising concerns about how easily troves of US-made arms, military aircraft and armoured vehicles have fallen into enemy hands and the new capabilities they bring, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Scores of videos have emerged of Taliban fighters rejoicing near abandoned American helicopters, carrying US-supplied M24 sniper rifles and M18 assault weapons, stacking other small arms and materiel in unending piles and driving Humvees and other US-made military trucks.

The Taliban have seized airplanes, tanks and artillery from Afghan outposts and from evacuating US personnel, revealing one of the heavier costs of a troop withdrawal amid a collapse of Afghanistan’s government and army.

“We obviously don’t want to see our equipment in the hands of those who would act against our interests, or the interests of the Afghan people,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a press briefing this week.

The US sent nearly 600,000 small arms, 76,000 vehicles and 208 airplanes to Afghanistan’s military and police from 2003 to 2016, according to a 2017 Government Accountability Office report, one of the few such compilations.

The most recent quarterly report of the US-led military coalition documented deliveries of 174 Humvees, nearly three million rounds of ammunition, and nearly 100,000 2.75-inch rockets during the period.

ALSO READ – Ready to work with Taliban if needed: Boris Johnson

Previous Story

Ready to work with Taliban if needed: Boris Johnson

Next Story

AI flight with 87 Indians from Kabul lands in Delhi

Latest from -Top News

India, Russia vow deeper defence ties

The fifth meeting of the Working Group reviewed current defence cooperation plans and explored new avenues for collaboration and knowledge-sharing….reports Asian Lite News India and Russia held their fifth Meeting of the

Charm Abroad, Chaos Within: Munir’s Double Game

While Munir projects assurance on the world stage, his true test lies within Pakistan’s borders, where poverty, political alienation, and mounting insecurity converge…reports Asian Lite News Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s powerful
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Ghani no more a state head: UN

Afghanistan’s seat at the UN became a contested issue after

Higher jobless rate looms in US as Fed fights inflation

The Federal Reserve is expected to increase the official cost