The Foreign Office on Wednesday backed U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for Afghanistan to return American military equipment left behind during the withdrawal of NATO forces in 2021, noting this has been an issue of profound concern for the safety and security of Pakistan and its citizens.
“These weapons, left behind in the aftermath of the withdrawal of its troops in August 2021, have been used by terrorist organizations, including the TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan], to carry out terrorist attacks in Pakistan,” read a statement issued by the Foreign Office.
It recalled Pakistan has been “repeatedly calling upon the de facto authorities in Kabul to take all necessary measures to ensure that these weapons do not fall into the wrong hands.”
Ahead of his presidential inauguration, Trump had threatened to sever all financial assistance for Afghanistan if it did not return U.S. aircraft, air-to-ground munitions, vehicles and communications equipment. “If we’re going to pay billions of dollars a year, tell them we’re not going to give them the money unless they give back our military equipment,” he said.
The Taliban had subsequently refused this demand and instead urged the U.S. to provide them with more advanced weapons to fight the Islamic State-Khorasan.
Washington left behind an estimated $7 billion worth of military equipment, including firearms, communication devices, and armored vehicles. The Taliban seized most of this, with Pakistan subsequently noting the use of some of the gear by militants orchestrating attacks from across the porous Pak-Afghan border.