John Kirby, the spokesperson for the United States National Security Council, refuted claims that American military equipment was left in the possession of militants in Afghanistan. During a news briefing, he dismissed the idea of abandonment, asserting that no American equipment was left behind by U.S. forces.
He clarified that, following the completion of the evacuation efforts, only a small quantity of equipment and some aircraft remained at the airport, all of which had been rendered unusable. The only items that could have been taken by the Taliban were tow trucks, trucks with ladders, and firefighting equipment.
When questioned by ARY News reporter Jahanzeb Ali about the militants gaining control of military equipment worth approximately $7 billion, Kirby acknowledged that some military equipment had fallen into the hands of militants.
However, he emphasized that this equipment had been transferred to the Afghan National Security Forces well before the U.S. departure, as part of the mission to support and train these forces in taking charge of security in Afghanistan. Kirby clarified that it was the Afghan security forces who had abandoned this equipment, not the United States.
Kirby also highlighted Washington's commitment to working with Pakistan to address security threats along the Afghanistan border. In response to a question regarding President Biden's characterization of Pakistan as a country with nuclear weapons, Kirby affirmed that the Biden administration would collaborate with Pakistan to mitigate the threats emanating from the Afghanistan border.
He acknowledged the ongoing security challenges faced by the Pakistani people along this border and underscored the President's dedication to working with Pakistan to address these significant threats