In response to reports of $7bn worth of weapons reportedly abandoned in Afghanistan during the U.S. withdrawal in August 2021, John Kirby, US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communication, on September 7, firmly stated that no military equipment had been left behind by American forces.
“There was no equipment left behind by American forces,”
Kirby said, Arab News reported. Kirby clarified that the equipment in question had been transferred well in advance of the US departure to the Afghan National Security Forces as part of the mission to train and support Afghan security forces. He emphasized that it was the Afghan National Security Forces, not the US, who abandoned this equipment as the Taliban advanced on Kabul and other areas in the country.
Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar had raised concerns about the impact of the leftover US military equipment on the fighting capabilities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), although he did not provide evidence to support this allegation. Kakar called for a coordinated approach to address the challenge posed by this equipment but clarified that Pakistan was not accusing the US of any wrongdoing that required sharing evidence.
The situation underscores the chaotic nature of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan two years ago, during which Afghan security forces, built and trained at a cost of $83 bn over two decades, rapidly collapsed, leading to the capture of advanced military equipment by the Afghan Taliban. Concerns persist about the potential use of this equipment by various armed groups, including the TTP, and its implications for regional security.
Earlier Daryo reported that tensions escalated along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border following reports of a confrontation between Taliban militants and Pakistani troops in the vicinity of Torkham town.
🚨 Breaking News 🚨: The Taliban Ministry of Interior spokesman has #confirmed a #clash between #Taliban #militants and #Pakistani border #guards at the #Torkham border.
— Daryo | Central Asia & Afghanistan (@DaryoEng) September 6, 2023
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Spokesman #AbdulMateenQaneing reports that the #conflict #escalated with Pakistani forces opening… pic.twitter.com/RNrW1hhZLq
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