The Taliban now have their hands US firepower including helicopters, guns, ammunition and more. Though the exact value of the US-supplied Afghan equipment the Taliban have secured is unknown, defence officials have confirmed it is significant.
The Pentagon had given most of the weaponry to Afghanistan's US-trained-and-funded police and security forces, but with their total rout during this month's Taliban takeover of the country, the militants have snatched it up and may even try to build an air force.
But claims that the Taliban possess US military equipment worth between $80 billion and $85bn are "significantly inflated," according to reports from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, which oversees American taxpayer money spent on the conflict.
Much of the military equipment would also be obsolete after years of use, according to Dan Grazier, a defence policy analyst at the Project on Government Oversight.
American troops also disabled equipment including Humvees and aircraft so they could not be used again, according to Marine Gen Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command.
This is in stark contrast to claims made by political figures such as former US president Donald Trump, Republican House Representatives Jim Banks and Lauren Boebert and Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn.
Mr Banks, a veteran of the Afghanistan war, read out an exhaustive list of equipment he claimed the Taliban now possess.
"We now know, that due to the negligence of [President Joe Biden's] administration, the Taliban now has access to over $85 billion worth of American military equipment," he said.
The gear, Mr Banks noted, includes 75,000 vehicles, more than 200 helicopters and aeroplanes, as well as more than 600,000 small arms and light weapons.
The Taliban now have access to more Black Hawk helicopters than 85 per cent of countries in the world, he continued.
“But they don't just have weapons. They have night-vision goggles, body armour, medical supplies and, unbelievably … the Taliban now [have] biometric devices,” Mr Banks said.
These biometric devices, he added, “have the fingerprints, eye scans and the biographical information of the Afghans who helped us over the last 20 years".
One US official said: "Everything that hasn't been destroyed is the Taliban's now".
Mr Biden is facing by far the biggest crisis of his presidency as the Pentagon races to finish its withdrawal from Afghanistan before next Tuesday's deadline.
On Thursday, some 170 people including 13 US troops were killed in a suicide bombing at Kabul's airport, in what is believed to be the deadliest attack in the 20-year war.
Current and former US officials fear that the weapons and equipment seized by the Taliban could be used on civilians or commandeered by other militant groups for use in attacks on US interests in the region. They also say the weapons and equipment could be handed over to US rivals, including China and Russia.
“We have already seen Taliban fighters armed with US-made weapons they seized from the Afghan forces. This poses a significant threat to the United States and our allies,” said Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The Biden administration is said to have such a high level of concern over the weapons that it is considering options for taking them back.
This poses a significant threat to the United States and our allies
Michael McCaul,
US representative
Officials say launching air strikes on larger pieces of equipment, such as aircraft, remains an option, but there is concern that doing so would antagonise the Taliban at a time when the US is desperate to keep the peace as it completes its chaotic withdrawal.
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House
Tips for taking the metro
- set out well ahead of time
- make sure you have at least Dh15 on you Nol card, as there could be big queues for top-up machines
- enter the right cabin. The train may be too busy to move between carriages once you're on
- don't carry too much luggage and tuck it under a seat to make room for fellow passengers
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The five pillars of Islam
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
FIXTURES (all times UAE)
Sunday
Brescia v Lazio (3.30pm)
SPAL v Verona (6pm)
Genoa v Sassuolo (9pm)
AS Roma v Torino (11.45pm)
Monday
Bologna v Fiorentina (3.30pm)
AC Milan v Sampdoria (6pm)
Juventus v Cagliari (6pm)
Atalanta v Parma (6pm)
Lecce v Udinese (9pm)
Napoli v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
