Trump demands return of U.S. military gear from Taliban
Donald Trump links further financial aid for Afghanistan to the return of American military equipment that remains in the hands of the Taliban. This could involve nearly 1,000 vehicles, artillery systems, and even a few aircraft.
A report issued in 2022 by the U.S. Department of Defense indicated that when withdrawing from Afghanistan, American troops left behind military equipment valued at approximately $7 billion in the country.
The list included aircraft, air-to-ground missiles, military vehicles, and communication equipment. Some of this equipment was "demilitarized" (intentionally damaged), but much of it remains fully operational and under Taliban control.
Trump fights to recover equipment from Afghanistan
"If we are to pay billions of dollars annually, tell them that we will not give them that money until they return our military equipment," said Donald Trump at a rally in Washington on the eve of his presidential inauguration.
The Defence Express portal highlights the report The Military Balance 2021, which indicates that in Afghanistan there were about 200 M113 tracked armoured personnel carriers, 200 MaxxPro armoured vehicles, about 600 MSFV armoured vehicles, and several dozen M114 howitzers with a calibre of 155 mm.
At the same time, according to analysts from Oryx, since November 2022, the Taliban has managed to return several flying units to service. They pointed to 10 MD 530F light attack helicopters, as well as six UH-60 Black Hawk multi-role helicopters and four C-208 airplanes.
Equipment from Afghanistan in Ukraine
In mid-2022, reports emerged about Mi-17 helicopters that took part in battles in Afghanistan and are now serving in Ukraine. Their transfer to the country repelling Russian aggression was possible because, at the time of the American troops' evacuation from Afghanistan, many Mi-17 helicopters (initially purchased for Afghanistan) were outside the country.
Despite the withdrawal of troops, it is still the United States that remains Afghanistan's largest donor, providing billions of dollars in humanitarian aid.
