{"id":137576,"date":"2021-09-02T10:54:21","date_gmt":"2021-09-02T10:54:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/?p=137576"},"modified":"2021-09-02T10:54:21","modified_gmt":"2021-09-02T10:54:21","slug":"gloating-taliban-may-have-seized-half-a-million-us-weapons-and-50000-vehicles-as-fighters-show-off-military-booty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/precoinnews.com\/world-news\/gloating-taliban-may-have-seized-half-a-million-us-weapons-and-50000-vehicles-as-fighters-show-off-military-booty\/","title":{"rendered":"Gloating Taliban may have seized half a MILLION US weapons and 50,000 vehicles as fighters show off military booty"},"content":{"rendered":"

GLOATING Taliban fighters may have stolen as many as half a million US weapons and up to 50,000 vehicles as they flaunt their military stash. <\/p>\n

They seized hundreds of army bases, weapons dumps and police stations during their advance to Kabul last month.<\/p>\n


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The US spent an estimated $85billion (\u00a362billion) on weapons and equipment to arm the Afghan army as they propped up the government after toppling the Taliban in 2001.<\/p>\n

US documents reveal staggering numbers of guns, vehicles and military gear were handed over to Kabul – only for the Afghan forces to be washed away against the tide of Taliban advance.<\/p>\n

Estimates state 22,174 Humvees, 634 M1117s armoured cars, 115 Maxx Pros trucks, and 549,118 machine guns, assault rifles and pistols were given over by the US.<\/p>\n

Some 33 Black Hawk helicopters, 23 Super Tucano fighter planes and 4 C-130 transport planes were also given to the Afghan Air Force. <\/p>\n

Other support gear was also given over, with some 16,035 pairs of night vision googles, 162,043 radios and some 8,000 trucks. <\/p>\n

Much of this equipment may have been removed by the US, may have been out of service, and may have been destroyed.<\/p>\n

For example its estimated only 48 of the over 100 aircraft in the air force that were usable were left behind to the Taliban. <\/p>\n

But the numbers offers an insight into the staggering scale of Afghanistan's arsenal – the remnants of which will be picked clean by the militants. <\/p>\n

Pictures and video from throughout their vicious advance across the country show the fighters gleefully stumbling upon weapons caches and vehicles which they can then use. <\/p>\n

Propaganda photos released by the Taliban already show them posing in US military gear – abandoning their simple robes and AK-47s in favour of M-16s and combat body armour. <\/p>\n

In one video clip, a fighter cannot believe his eyes when he enters a shipping container full of M16 assault rifles and pump-action shotguns.<\/p>\n

The US said it destroyed 73 aircraft, 70 mine-resistant armoured vehicles, 27 Humvees and a C-RAM missile defence system before they left Kabul airport on Sunday.<\/p>\n

One helicopter displaying a Taliban flag was seen hovering over crowds at Kandahar yesterday.<\/p>\n


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Some estimates of the amount of military equipment in the hands of the Taliban put it as around \u00a313billion – but figures remain unclear.<\/p>\n

It is believed the Taliban may now be better armed than some nations. <\/p>\n

US commanders removed planes, heavy armour and high tech equipment – but untold numbers of other gear which had been given to the Afghan army was left behind.<\/p>\n

And it is feared some of the weapons could fall into the hands of splinter terrorist groups – such as ISIS – or even Russia and China.<\/p>\n

Elias Yousif, deputy director of the Center for International Policy\u2019s Security Assistance Monitor, told\u00a0The Hill: "When an armed group gets their hands on American-made weaponry, it's sort of a status symbol. It's a psychological win.<\/p>\n

"Clearly, this is an indictment of the U.S. security cooperation enterprise broadly.<\/p>\n

"It really should raise a lot of concerns about what is the wider enterprise that is going on every single day, whether that's in the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia."<\/p>\n

US and other Western forces have now officially withdrawn from the country after a muddled exit which was compared to the end of the Vietnam War.<\/p>\n

However, resistance fighters are continuing the\u00a0gather in the Panjshir Valley\u00a0as they continue to deny the Taliban's rule.<\/p>\n


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US President Joe Biden is facing heavy criticism over the pullout which is believed to leave millions of Afghans to their fate at their hands of the ruthless new regime.<\/p>\n

When the Taliban last ruled Afghanistan they imposed medieval-style laws with vicious executions, torture and brutal punishments. <\/p>\n

And women are believed to face the brunt of this new regime, with them already being erased from much of public life by the Taliban.<\/p>\n

Foreign secretary Dominic Raab today said that Britain will not be recognising the Taliban as Afghanistan's government "for the foreseeable future".<\/p>\n

He said the Western world needed to "adjust to the new reality" that the brutal insurgents have captured the country and are now in charge.<\/p>\n

The Cabinet Minister told reporters: "We will not be recognising the Taliban anytime in the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

"But I think there is an important scope for engagement and dialogue."<\/p>\n