“We don’t, obviously, want to see our equipment in the hands of those who would act against our interest or the interest of the Afghan people, and increase violence and insecurity inside Afghanistan,” he added.Īt the moment, there are no plans for the US to take any action to destroy the weapons by using airstrikes or other means, unless something poses a direct threat to American troops at the airport, administration officials told CNN. “When it comes to U.S.-provided equipment that is still in Afghanistan and may not be in the hands of ANSF, there are several options that we have at our disposal to try to deal with that problem set,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday.
While US officials stress it is too early to provide details about specific weapons and vehicles now under Taliban control, Pentagon officials have already expressed concerns.
In the interim, photographs and videos showing Taliban fighters carrying US-supplied M4 carbines and M16 rifles are fueling questions about how much American firepower the militant group now has at its disposal after seizing military bases across Afghanistan. The Biden administration has faced a wave of criticism for failing to anticipate the Taliban’s rapid takeover of Afghanistan and for the chaos unfolding at Kabul’s airport as thousands of people attempt to flee the country.Įvacuation operations remain the administration’s primary focus but officials at the Pentagon and the State Department are also beginning to take stock of the American weapons that have fallen into Taliban hands, an effort that sources tell CNN will likely take weeks or months due to the sheer volume of arms provided to Afghan forces over the last two decades. “There’s no exact accountability on what’s left,” one official said. It’s unclear exactly how much equipment fell into Taliban hands during the collapse of the Afghan military, and the US is unlikely to get a perfect and precise answer to that question because there is no longer a US troop and intelligence presence throughout the country, two defense officials told CNN. “My biggest fear is that the sophisticated weaponry will be sold to our adversaries and other non-state actors who intend to use it against us and our allies.” “We are also concerned that some may end up in the hands of others who support the Taliban’s cause,” the congressional source told CNN.
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