US weapons left in Afghanistan 'profound concern' for Pakistan, officials say

Pakistan said on Wednesday that U.S. military equipment abandoned during the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 poses a "profound concern" for its security, claiming terrorist groups are using these weapons to attack Pakistani territory.

The statement from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry comes following US President Donald Trump's pledge to take back military equipment left behind in Afghanistan. It also coincides with the heightened tensions with neighboring Afghanistan, following Pakistani airstrikes last month that the Taliban claim killed 46 people in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province.

"These weapons have been used by terrorist organizations, including the TTP, to carry out terrorist attacks in Pakistan," the ministry's spokesperson said, referring to the Pakistani Taliban, a militant group separate from but ideologically aligned with Afghanistan's Taliban government.

The U.S. left behind an arsenal estimated at $28 billion when it withdrew from Afghanistan, including more than 2,000 armored vehicles, up to 40 aircraft, and hundreds of thousands of weapons. Current and former U.S. officials had warned in 2021 that this equipment could fall into the hands of militant groups or be shared with America's adversaries.

On the eve of his presidential inauguration, Trump, speaking at a public rally, threatened to cut all financial aid to 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.

However, the Taliban reportedly refused to return any military equipment and instead urged the U.S. to supply them with more advanced weapons to fight Islamic State (IS).

Pakistan's complaint about these weapons comes as its relationship with Afghanistan's Taliban rulers has deteriorated significantly. While Pakistan was once considered a key Taliban ally, tensions have escalated over Kabul's apparent unwillingness or inability to prevent cross-border terrorist attacks.

The Foreign Ministry said it has "repeatedly" called upon Afghanistan's Taliban government to prevent these weapons from "falling into the wrong hands." However, former Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry acknowledged that Pakistan had overestimated its influence with the Taliban regime.

The Taliban's position regarding these weapons remains unclear. While they gained control of much of the U.S. equipment during their rapid takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, they have not publicly addressed allegations about this equipment being used by other militant groups.

Last month's airstrikes

The concerns about U.S. weapons add another layer of complexity to an already tense situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. In December, Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan's Paktika province, which the Taliban government said killed dozens of civilians, including women and children. While Pakistan avoided confirming the strikes directly, it framed its border operations as intelligence-based actions against terrorist threats.

The United Nations has called for an investigation into these strikes, while the Taliban warned of retaliation for what they termed a "brutal act." Despite rising tensions, Pakistani officials maintain they are committed to diplomatic engagement, with special representatives continuing high-level talks in Kabul.

Afghanistan's other neighbors, including China, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, have expressed alarm about various militant groups operating from Afghan territory. This has led to growing regional pressure on the Taliban government to address these security challenges.