Concerns Rise Over U.S. Weapons Sold to Militants in Afghanistan
Over half a million U.S. weapons and military equipment, primarily obtained by the Taliban, have reportedly been lost, sold, or smuggled into the hands of militant groups, according to sources cited by the BBC. Following the Taliban's takeover in 2021, they acquired approximately one million pieces of military hardware, much of which was funded by U.S. taxpayers.
Sources reveal that, during a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council's Sanctions Committee in Doha, the Taliban admitted that around half of the military equipment is unaccounted for. UN reports indicate that groups affiliated with al-Qaeda, such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, have either accessed or purchased these weapons on the black market.
While Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat claims that all arms are securely stored, former Afghan officials dispute this, stating that local commanders are allowed to keep a portion of seized weapons, fostering a thriving black market. Furthermore, the U.S. accountability measures for the equipment left behind have been criticized for being insufficient and unreliable, complicating tracking efforts.
Afghanistan