Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar of Pakistan has expressed his concern over the equipment left behind in Afghanistan, stating that it has strengthened the Pakistani Taliban. As the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, a significant amount of American weaponry was abandoned and has since fallen into the hands of Islamist fighters, including the Pakistani Taliban. Kakar warned that this has presented a new challenge for Islamabad.
According to Kakar, the US weapons have significantly boosted the firepower of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), leading to increasingly fierce attacks on Pakistan’s security forces in recent months. The TTP is allied with the Afghan Taliban, which seized control of Kabul as US forces were evacuating from Afghanistan in August 2021. However, Kakar did not provide details on how the abandoned US weapons ended up in the hands of Pakistani militants.
A Pentagon assessment released last year revealed that over $7 billion worth of US military equipment was left behind in Afghanistan. The equipment, which had been provided to the US-backed government in Kabul during the 20-year US occupation of the country, included aircraft, military vehicles, communications equipment, and firearms. As government forces surrendered or lost their US-supplied weapons during the Taliban’s takeover, these weapons became easily accessible to extremist groups.
Critics of the Biden administration, including former President Donald Trump, have estimated the value of the abandoned equipment to be much higher. Trump claimed that the US forces had left $85 billion worth of weaponry and equipment for the Taliban. However, the Pentagon argues that much of the equipment left behind was either destroyed or “retrograded,” referring to the process of relocating or disposing of equipment no longer in use.
In response to the situation, Kakar called for a coordinated approach to deal with the leftover weapons. He mentioned that US equipment, such as guns with laser sighting systems, has enabled TTP fighters to target Pakistani security forces from greater distances. He emphasized the importance of defending their home, children, mosques, and places of worship, highlighting the need for enhanced security measures.
Prime Minister Kakar was installed as Pakistan’s caretaker PM last month, filling the leadership gap until the country’s next parliamentary elections, which are expected to take place possibly early next year.
The issue of abandoned US weapons in Afghanistan and their impact on regional security remains a pressing concern. It underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to addressing the aftermath of the US withdrawal and preventing the proliferation of weapons into the hands of extremist groups.
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