US troops abandoned Afghanistan in a hurry and left behind most of their belongings. Although most of the ammunition was either destroyed or abandoned before the US Army fled from Bagram Air Base, there were many other items that are now valuable for scrap dealers.
The items left behind also included US military medals, tools, gears and electronics. Now, most of these items are being sold for a few dollars at corner shops outside Kabul.
Looted US military medals, left behind in Afghanistan, at bases and at Kabul airport, for sale just a few dollars apiece in corner-shops
Also clothes, gear, tools, knives and even electronics pic.twitter.com/4poscS6k92
— Murad Gazdiev (@MuradGazdiev) September 6, 2021
Along the Afghan border after 2001, smugglers’ markets mushroomed in Pakistan as well, offering military gadgets, clothing and luxury goods originally meant for American bases and compounds.
Most of the looted items from NATO as well as US military equipment helped the black markets thrive. Now with the exit of America from Afghanistan, most of these scrap dealers are likely to rethink their business as security is strict on the border and there isn’t going to be much to sell in the coming times.
Read more: Pakistani Netizens ask army to acquire US leftover military hardware
A total of 73 aircraft, nearly 100 vehicles and other equipment were abandoned by US troops in the area that is now under the control of Taliban. They also include thousands of civilian vehicles, many of them without keys to start them.
According to Afghan military officials, before the Afghan army could take control of the airfield, it was invaded by a small army of looters, who ransacked barracks and storage tents before being evicted.
According to reports, Taliban is now using the advance military equipment left behind by the US Army to take over Panjsher.
In a press briefing by America’s foreign military sales officer, he elaborated that
“We now know that due to the negligence of this administration, Taliban now has access over $85 billion worth of American Military equipment. That includes 75000 vehicles, over 200 airplanes and helicopters, over 600,000 small arms and light weapons. The Taliban now has more Black Hawk helicopters than 85% of the countries in the world. But they don’t just have weapons, they also have night vision goggles, body armor, and medical supplies.
Read more: Can Pakistan trade with Taliban for US helicopters?
Unbelievably for me and so many others, Taliban now has biometric devices which have the fingerprints, eye scans and the biographical information of the Afghans who helped us over the last 20 years. And we have just learned in a briefing that this administration has no plan to get those military equipment or supplies back. “
Joe really did it. 'The Taliban now have more Black hawk helicopters than 85% of the countries in the world' https://t.co/7JTVMGi4E6
— Rahul Roushan (@rahulroushan) August 27, 2021