Taliban stocks surge with US weapons after Afghanistan takeover

In Afghanistan, following the Taliban's takeover in August 2021, vast quantities of military equipment were left behind by U.S. forces. An investigation revealed that up to $7 billion worth of U.S.-supplied military arms and equipment remained in the country. These included numerous American-made firearms, such as M4 and M16 rifles, alongside other military assets. A considerable portion of these weapons, estimated at half a million, is now unaccounted for, leading to concerns about their availability to militant groups. The United Nations has reported that some of these weapons have possibly reached al-Qaeda affiliates, underscoring the risk of such arms being misused in ongoing regional conflicts. Notably, illicit arms markets along the Afghanistan border have thrived, exacerbating the situation by increasing the flow of these arms into criminal and militant hands. Security forces have attempted to intervene by raiding these markets to stop the trade. Amidst this chaos, while the U.S. and Pakistani governments have raised alarms over the proliferation of advanced weaponry, the Taliban have asserted control over the military gear, claiming it to be their right following the previous government's collapse. This has raised substantial concerns about regional stability and fueled tensions between neighboring countries affected by the Taliban's resurgence.