Trump demands Taliban return of US military gear for aid

A report issued in 2022 by the U.S. Department of Defense revealed that during the withdrawal from Afghanistan, American troops left behind military equipment valued at approximately £5.8 billion in the country.

The list included aircraft, air-to-ground missiles, military vehicles, and communication equipment. Some of this equipment was "demilitarized" (intentionally damaged), but much of it remains fully operational and under Taliban control.

"If we are to pay billions of dollars annually, tell them that we will not give them that money until they return our military equipment," said Donald Trump at a rally in Washington on the eve of his presidential inauguration at 17:00 GMT.

The Defence Express portal highlights the report "The Military Balance 2021", which indicates that in Afghanistan, there were about 200 M113 tracked armoured personnel carriers, 200 MaxxPro armoured vehicles, about 600 MSFV armoured vehicles, and several dozen M114 howitzers with a calibre of 150 mm.

At the same time, analysts from Oryx report that the Taliban has managed to return several aircraft to service since November 2022. They noted 10 MD 530F light attack helicopters, six UH-60 Black Hawk multi-role helicopters, and four C-208 aircraft.

In mid-2022, reports emerged about Mi-17 helicopters that had participated in conflicts in Afghanistan and are now serving in Ukraine. Their transfer to the country to repel Russian aggression was possible because, at the time of the American troops' evacuation from Afghanistan, several Mi-17 helicopters (purchased initially for Afghanistan) were stationed outside the country.

Despite the withdrawal of troops, the United States continues to be Afghanistan's largest donor, providing billions of dollars for humanitarian aid.