US weapons left in Afghanistan have become a serious security concern for Pakistan. The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) continues to attack civilians, security forces and state installations from Afghan territory. Military equipment left behind after the August 2021 withdrawal has made that threat more dangerous.
Key Points
- Pentagon confirmation: According to The Washington Post, the US Army and the Pentagon confirmed that 63 weapons seized from militants in Pakistan had been supplied by the US government to Afghan forces.
- Night vision: TTP propaganda material has shown US-made night-vision devices and M4 rifles fitted with thermal optics.
- Smuggling: UN Monitoring Team reports describe Taliban members supplying weapons to the TTP. The Taliban and the TTP deny this.
- Human cost: Pakistani officials say 2025 was the deadliest year for the country’s security forces since 2011.
- Pakistan’s demand: Islamabad wants the international community to press Kabul to act against the TTP.
How Much US Military Equipment Was Left in Afghanistan?
When the Taliban took control in August 2021, a vast stock of US-supplied equipment for the former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) remained in the country. The US watchdog SIGAR estimated its value at more than $7 billion, including hundreds of thousands of weapons, tens of thousands of vehicles and dozens of aircraft.
According to The Washington Post, some of these weapons reached illicit arms bazaars along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where militants and criminal groups buy them.
How Did US Arms Reach the TTP?
The Pentagon’s Verification
In an April 2025 investigation, Pakistani officials gave reporters access to dozens of weapons seized from captured or killed militants. The US Army and the Pentagon confirmed that 63 of them had been provided to Afghan forces. Most were M16 rifles, alongside several more modern M4 carbines. A US official said the seized weapons are a minuscule portion of what Washington bought for Afghan forces over more than a decade.
UN Findings
The UN Security Council Monitoring Team report S/2024/92 documented reports that Taliban commanders supplied the TTP with advanced weapons, including M24 sniper rifles and M4 carbines with ACOG scopes. Taliban officials deny supporting the group.
Night Vision and M4 Rifles: A Battlefield Edge
TTP propaganda videos have shown US-made night-vision devices, M4s with thermal optics and rifle-mounted infrared lasers. One Pakistani special forces constable, critically injured in a night attack in northwestern Pakistan, told The Washington Post that the attackers could see his unit but his unit could not see them.
Impact on Pakistan’s Security
Pakistani officials say 2025 saw the highest security-force casualties since 2011. Personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan face better-equipped militants, a situation analysts describe as a hybrid security threat in which access to external weapons plays a central role.
What Pakistan and Analysts Propose
- Conditional aid: Tie international assistance to Afghanistan to verifiable action against the TTP.
- UN investigation: Have the Security Council transparently investigate illicit arms transfer routes.
- Weapons tracing: Set up a joint US-Pakistan initiative to trace seized weapons by serial number.
- Border market controls: Monitor and shut down illegal arms bazaars.
The Taliban’s position: Kabul denies backing cross-border terrorism. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said the weapons are now Afghanistan’s property and no one can take them away.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did US weapons reach the TTP?
Equipment left after the 2021 withdrawal entered illicit border markets. UN reports also cite Taliban members’ involvement, which the Taliban deny.
Which US weapons were found in Pakistan?
Of the 63 confirmed weapons, most were M16 rifles, along with several M4 carbines. Pakistani officials also displayed a handful of PVS-14 night-vision devices.
How much US equipment remained in Afghanistan?
SIGAR estimates about $7 billion worth of US-funded military equipment remained.
What is Pakistan asking for?
Pakistan wants Afghanistan to dismantle TTP sanctuaries and stop illegal arms flows, with sustained international pressure on Kabul.
Sources and References
- The Washington Post, April 2025: investigation into US weapons supplied to Afghan forces
- SIGAR (Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction) reports
- UN Security Council Monitoring Team report S/2024/92
- Pakistani security briefings and statistics (2025-2026)
