US Weapons Left in Afghanistan Sold to Terrorists in Pakistan: A Growing Regional Threat

THIS UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF A HASTY RETREAT HAS SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED THE REGIONAL SECURITY CALCULUS. THE TALIBAN'S SWIFT RETURN TO POWER LED TO THEIR IMMEDIATE CONTROL OVER VAST CACHES OF US MILITARY EQUIPMENT.

- SYED JAHANZEEB

When the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, it marked the end of a two-decade-long military campaign.

While the departure closed a controversial chapter in American foreign policy, it also opened the door to new and dangerous regional threats. One of the most alarming developments since the withdrawal has been the proliferation of abandoned American military hardware, which has reportedly made its way into Pakistan — not into the hands of state actors, but rather into the possession of militant groups operating along the volatile Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

This unintended consequence of a hasty retreat has significantly altered the regional security calculus. The Taliban's swift return to power led to their immediate control over vast caches of US military equipment. An official 2022 report by the US Department of Defense stated that over $7 billion worth of equipment had been left behind. These included firearms like M4 carbines and M16 rifles, armored vehicles such as Humvees and MRAPs, advanced surveillance drones, night vision gear, encrypted communication devices, and even Black Hawk helicopters. While efforts were made to disable certain sensitive items, large quantities of equipment remained functional and were absorbed by Taliban fighters almost overnight.

Initial visuals emerging from Afghanistan showed Taliban foot soldiers dressed in modern combat gear and brandishing American rifles — a stark and troubling image. Yet, the problem didn't stop there. Reports from the tribal belt of Pakistan and parts of Balochistan indicate that some of this weaponry has filtered across the border and landed in the hands of extremist groups like the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), and Baloch separatists.