US Weapons Left in Afghanistan Now Integral to Taliban Defense and Used in Pakistan Attacks, SIGAR Report Says

The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has revealed that the United States spent around $144 billion on reconstruction during the 20-year Afghan war, but left behind military equipment worth billions of dollars during the sudden 2021 withdrawal—equipment that has now become part of the Taliban’s military capability and regional influence.

$7 billion in US military equipment abandoned

According to SIGAR, the United States left behind nearly $7 billion in military hardware—including weapons, vehicles and aircraft—most of which was originally supplied to the Afghan National Security Forces during the two decades of US presence. The report notes that all of this equipment had been financed by American taxpayers and is now benefiting the Taliban and other militant groups.

Massive US investment in Afghan security forces

The report states that more than $31 billion was spent on Afghan security forces, including the supply of 96,000 ground combat vehicles, over 23,000 multi-purpose mobility vehicles, more than 427,000 weapons, 17,000 night-vision devices and 162 aircraft. Prior to the fall of Kabul, the Afghan forces had 162 US-made aircraft, of which 131 were operational.

Pakistan says US weapons now fuel terrorism

Pakistan has repeatedly expressed concern that US-supplied weapons have been transferred by the Taliban to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and are being used against security forces in Pakistan. Islamabad argues that the surge in militant attacks on its soil is directly linked to modern equipment obtained from Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.

Earlier this year, the United Nations also reported that the Taliban continues to provide shelter, operational support and weapons to the TTP despite Pakistan’s objections.

Taliban deny accusations

The Taliban government rejects these allegations, claiming that Afghan territory is not being used against any neighboring country and describing terrorism in Pakistan as an “internal issue” of Islamabad.

Videos and field assessments

Footage from recent border clashes indicates that Taliban fighters are using mostly light and medium-range US-made weapons, including M-series rifles, machine guns, RPGs and night-vision devices. Military experts confirm this trend and say that such weapons have already made their way into Pakistan, Iran and Central Asian markets through smuggling and black-market networks.

Black market spread and regional risk

Experts argue that weapons abandoned after the US withdrawal have gone the same route as Soviet-era arms—widely trafficked and sold commercially after the Soviet exit in the 1980s. According to analysts, the Taliban consider these weapons as “war gains,” making any US attempt to reclaim them practically impossible.

Islamabad remains concerned

Pakistan maintains that the uncontrolled flow of advanced US weapons into militant hands has increased the threat of insurgency within its territory. Islamabad believes that any US initiative aimed at retrieving or neutralizing such arms would contribute to regional security, although such a move appears increasingly unlikely due to the widespread dispersion of the weapons.