More than a month after the US troops started its withdrawal from Afghanistan Pentagon still has no idea of the quantity of US weapons, hardware and equipment that ended up in Taliban’s hands handed over by surrendering Afghan security forces or seized in their power and territory grab.
Asked if Department of Defense calculated the number of US weapons, hardware and vehicles in the Taliban’s hands, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Monday they don’t have an exact inventory of the equipment the Afghan Armed Forces had at their disposal that is now at risk.
Kirby also noted he has no policy solutions on how to resolve this issue at the moment.
The US weaponry issue was one of the first things the media focused in the wake of US pullout with reports with shocking footage showing how surrendering Afghan troops hand over their weapons to the Taliban along with their armoured cars.
Taliban’s bragging with the seized arsenal supplied by the US to the Afghan Army went so far that they’ve invited Sky News Sky to the strategic Sultan Khil military base in Wardak Province they captured.
Taliban have also caused concern to the United States by getting their hands on a certain number of war planes, helicopters and missiles, though they would have difficulties using them since they lack experienced pilots and options to maintain them.
The Al Arabiya TV channel reported citing a source that the US authorities plan to conduct an operation to destroy the weapons the Taliban seized once the evacuation process is completed with the possibility of air strikes on depots being under consideration.
Former president Donald Trump warned earlier that the US has billions of dollars’ worth of brand new Black Hawk helicopters, new army tanks and all sorts of equipment and missiles left in Afghanistan, reiterating, like his fellow GOP lawmakers, that it is outrageous high-tech equipment paid by US taxpayers to fall into the possession of the Taliban forces.
They also underscored that DoD has to prioritize securing the US assets in Afganistan.
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