The Taliban seized billions of pounds worth of equipment following the US evacuation, only to find much of it has been disabled
The Taliban are said to be feeling “angry and betrayed” after discovered that much of the bounty of US military equipment left behind in their hasty evacuation from Afghanistan has been disabled.
Billions of dollars worth of equipment, including military trucks and as many as 48 helicopters and attack planes were inherited by the insurgents following their August 15 takeover. The equipment, along with US service dogs, were left behind.
#UPDATE A Black Hawk helicopter flew circles over the Taliban's spiritual heartland of #Kandahar in southern Afghanistan Wednesday while below fighters stood on captured Humvees as the Islamists paraded their plundered US military hardware https://t.co/KV9tTZ9NcH pic.twitter.com/qntnQDooyM
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) September 1, 2021
The clip below shows journalist Nabih Bulos and several troops walking through an airport hangar in Kabul – where the last remaining troops had been stationed – with Chinook helicopters still sat in the bay.
A day later, the LA Times reporter shared another video showing several aircraft that he said “looked disabled”.
#Taliban fighters enter a hangar in #Kabul Airport and examine #chinook helicopters after #US leaves #Afghanistan. pic.twitter.com/flJx0cLf0p
— Nabih (@nabihbulos) August 30, 2021
https://twitter.com/nabihbulos/status/1432596730281857024?s=20
As you can see in the clip below, the mood went from one of celebration – images of Taliban shooting into the sky and flying Blackhawk helicopters donning their flag – to one of frustration as they realised that American forces had supposedly scuttled their sky fleet.
The Taliban were disappointed to find inoperable planes and helicopters left behind by American forces on the military side of the Kabul airport. pic.twitter.com/HfmlwYNjO0
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 1, 2021
While Taliban forces might have been hoping to add more vehicles, weaponry and other equipment to their arsenal, it is now thought that the majority of military vehicles left behind are now inoperable or damaged beyond repair.
Marine General Frank McKenzie, commander of US Central Command, told Stars and Stripes said they disabled roughly 70 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, 27 Humvees and 73 aircraft before they left: “They’ll never be able to be operated by anyone. Most of them were non-mission capable to begin with”.
Though, that’s not to say the Taliban didn’t inherit anything. The insurgents have been seen flying a US Black Hawk helicopter, driving humvees, and militants have been seen dressed head-to-toe in US military gear.
The 20-year British and American presence in the country might be over but both are said to be ready and waiting to respond to ongoing threats such as the ISIS-K fighters.
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