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US officials told Reuters there were concerns that military aircraft, vehicles and weapons stocks seized by the Taliban during the group’s attacks could be used against Afghan civilians, or used by terrorist organizations such as Islamic State (ISIS) or al-Qaeda .
“Everything that hasn’t been destroyed belongs to the Taliban now,” one of the sources told the news agency Russia Today, Saturday (21/8/2021).
The US government is now reviewing its options, including the possibility of launching air strikes to destroy large hardware such as helicopters – although policymakers are reportedly concerned that the move will antagonize the Taliban at a time when the US is rushing to evacuate its personnel and citizens.
A US official told Fox News on Friday that there was “no possibility” of an air strike while the American evacuation was underway.
According to one estimate, the Taliban now have more than 2,000 US humvees and other armored vehicles, as well as as many as 40 aircraft – including Black Hawks, reconnaissance attack helicopters and military drones.
Also read: The Taliban Now Have Many Helicopters and Fighters Made in the US and Russia
One US official told Reuters that between 40 and 50 planes had been flown to Uzbekistan by Afghan pilots fleeing the Taliban. Most of the remaining hardware requires frequent maintenance, making it unlikely the Taliban will ever be able to reuse the weaponry.
Also read: 46 Afghan military planes and helicopters breach Uzbekistan airspace
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