- The Taliban gained approximately 1 million US weapons control in 2021.
- Cash included American -made firearms like M4, M16 Rifle.
- “All light, heavy weapons are safely stored.”
On achieving Afghanistan’s control in 2021, the Taliban originally part of the spacious arsenal, a shocking half million weapons, is now lost, sold, or smuggled terrorist groups, according to sources, who used to speak unnaturally. BBC,
Dangerous revelation confirmed by the United Nations, suggests that some of these weapons funded by the United States have also fallen into the hands of al-Qaeda allies.
When the Taliban was swept away through Afghanistan in 2021, they gained control over the pieces of about one million weapons and military equipment, most of which were supplied and funded by the US, a former Afghan officer said anonymously saying that he said anonymous. BBC,
The cash consisted of sophisticated American-made firearms such as M4 and M16 rifles, as well as outdoor weapons as well as left behind for decades of conflict.
Sources revealed at a meeting of a closed door security council ban on a closed door security council in Doha later last year that the Taliban itself admitted that the device itself is “uninterested” for the 500,000 items-now shocking 500,000 items of this tool.
This figure was verified by a source of the committee confirmed along with other sources.
Additionally, a United Nations report released in February states that Teriq-e-Taliban is receiving Pakistan (TTP), Uzbekistan’s Islamic Movement, Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement and Ansarullah Movement of Yemen, either through al-Kashmir collaborators, either through Thriving Black Market or either through weapons.
When faced with these findings BBCHamdullah Fithar, Deputy Spokesperson of the Taliban government, denied the claims.
“All light and heavy weapons are collected safely. We strongly reject the claims of smuggling or loss,” he said.
However, a 2023 United Nations report denied this, stating that the Taliban allowed local commanders, often working with significant autonomy, to maintain 20% seized US weapons, fuel the black market.
The United Nations further stated that “arms gifts are widely practiced between local commanders and fighters, which is selling the black market as a rich source of weapons for the Taliban to strengthen power.”
Connecting these concerns, a former Kandahar journalist revealed that an open weapon market flourishes in the city for a year after the Taliban acquisition, only recently working through underground and WhatsApp.
This meta-owned instant messaging platform provides the business of new and used weapons and equipment, which are mainly abandoned by US-supported forces among rich individuals and local commanders.
While the US body figures record a low number of weapons overseeing the Afghan reconstruction projects (SIGAR), the 2022 Sigar report accepted the inability to get accurate information due to various US departments and organizations involved in funding and supply over the years.
The cigar report cited the decrease and issues with DOD (Defense Department) procedures for trekking equipment in Afghanistan for more than a decade.
The cigar criticized the State Department for providing “limited, wrong and untimely information”, which is a claim that the department refused, about the equipment left behind.
The issue is politically charged, US President Donald Trump vows to recover the weapon, an estimated $ 85 billion, although the figure is disputed.
Trump said during his first cabinet meeting of the new administration, “Afghanistan is one of the biggest vendors of military equipment in the world, you know why? They are selling devices we left.”
“I want to look at this. If we need to pay them, it’s fine, but we want our military equipment back.”
The Taliban replied to Trump’s claims with his spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid that they would use weapons, which the Taliban often paraded as a symbol of victory over America, to defend the country.
Afghan media said, “We had confiscated these weapons from previous administration and will use them to protect the country and fight any danger.”
Despite the claims of disabled Equipment on return, the Taliban has created a competent army using these weapons.
Sources indicate that hundreds of unworthy advanced vehicles and helicopters live in Taliban warehouses, although their operational capacity for sophisticated machinery is limited. Simple devices such as uswe are being effectively used.
Former cigar chief, John Sopko, makes any effort to recover the weapons “waste”, arguing that it would overtake the cost.
Whether Trump will take any action, it is yet to be seen, but, in the meantime, concerns about the spread of weapons in the region and reaching by terrorist groups are unresolved.
