From Afghanistan to Black Market: The Trail of Lost US Weapons

New Delhi, April 18: A cache of US weapons once intended to support Afghan security forces has now become a regional security threat, a pain with society and neighbouring countries as hundreds of thousands of firearms and military-grade equipment reportedly missing or circulating among non-state actors or militant or terrorist groups. A new investigation story by the BBC titled "US weapons left in Afghanistan sold to militant groups, sources tell BBC” reveals the extent to which Taliban-controlled weapons have spread across borders and into the hands of extremists.

A U.S.-made rifle, originally supplied to Afghan security forces over seven years ago, was found at the scene of a train hijacking in Pakistan last month, according to a report by The Washington Post. This discovery supports concerns that American weapons left behind in Afghanistan are now being used in terrorist activities across the region.

On March 11, militants from the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar. The attack, which involved explosions on the railway track in Balochistan, resulted in the deaths of at least 31 individuals, including soldiers, railway staff, and civilians. The Pakistani military reported killing 33 insurgents and rescuing 354 hostages during the operation.

Analysts have highlighted that weapons left behind by U.S. forces in Afghanistan are being utilised by militant groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). These groups have reportedly obtained advanced U.S. arms, including M16 machine guns, M4 assault rifles, night-vision goggles, and military communication gear. The presence of these sophisticated weapons in the hands of militants has raised significant security concerns fin the region that continues to impact stability.

In November 2024, India Today reported that the recovery of American-made M4 rifles from three terrorists killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Akhnoor has raised concerns among security forces. These rifles, originally left behind by U.S. forces during their withdrawal from Afghanistan, were reportedly being supplied to terrorists infiltrating into J&K. The M4 carbine, a lightweight, gas-operated assault rifle, has an effective firing range of 500–600 meters and can fire 700–900 rounds per minute. Its use by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir highlighting the threat posed by sophisticated weaponry falling into the hands of militant groups.

According to the BBC, sources close to a UN Security Council Sanctions Committee meeting in Doha late last year said the Taliban themselves admitted that at least half of the military equipment they seized following their 2021 takeover is now “unaccounted for.” The Taliban had taken control of around one million weapons and pieces of equipment when they swept into power, much of it originally supplied and funded by the United States over two decades.

Following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, the Taliban seized a substantial cache of U.S.-supplied military equipment originally intended for the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF). According to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), the Taliban captured approximately 650,000 weapons, including 350,000 M4 and M16 rifles, 65,000 machine guns, 25,000 grenade launchers, and 2,500 mortars and howitzers.

Additionally, an intelligence assessment cited by Reuters reported that the Taliban took control of over 2,000 armoured vehicles and up to 40 aircraft, including UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and A-29 Super Tucano attack planes. This extensive arsenal has raised significant concerns about regional security, as now some of these weapons have reportedly surfaced in neighbouring countries, fuelling militant activities,

Among the items reportedly lost or sold are M4 and M16 rifles, Humvees, mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs), even though many of the more advanced platforms remain inoperable due to the Taliban’s limited technical capacity. The BBC quotes a source from the committee saying, “The whereabouts of half a million items is unknown.”

A February report from the United Nations has raised red flags about the global security implications. It states that banned al-Qaeda affiliates, including Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, and Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, have either received or purchased US-made weapons through black-market channels originating in Afghanistan.

The Taliban denies these allegations. Speaking to the BBC, Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said the regime took the “protection and storage of weapons very seriously,” and dismissed claims of smuggling or mismanagement. “All light and heavy weapons are securely stored. We strongly reject claims of smuggling or loss,” he told the BBC.

However, independent reports contradict this assertion. A 2023 UN assessment found that local Taliban commanders, often operating with significant autonomy, were allowed to keep up to 20% of the US weapons they seized. The practice of “gifting weapons” to loyal fighters and allies, the report said, was widespread and contributed to the growth of a shadowy black market.

In the southern city of Kandahar, once an open hub for arms trading, sources told the BBC that the market has since gone underground. Weapons are now bought and sold via WhatsApp, in discreet groups controlled by well-connected individuals. These markets, according to a former journalist in the region, are dominated by US-made firearms and gear, mostly taken from Afghan forces that either fled or surrendered in 2021.

The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), the US body tasked with auditing America’s efforts in Afghanistan, has acknowledged that the true extent of lost equipment is impossible to determine. In a 2022 report, SIGAR noted “shortfalls and issues” with the Department of Defence’s tracking systems and criticised the State Department for providing “limited, inaccurate, and untimely” data.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly cited the issue, claiming that $85 billion worth of weapons were left behind, though this figure includes broader spending, such as training and logistics. “Afghanistan is one of the biggest sellers of military equipment in the world,” Trump remarked earlier this year. “They’re selling the equipment that we left.”

The Taliban has turned captured equipment into a tool of propaganda, regularly displaying Humvees and US rifles during military parades and on social media. Footage from Bagram Airfield, once the backbone of the US-led NATO mission, now features Taliban fighters brandishing American rifles and equipment as symbols of victory.

While some equipment, particularly helicopters and drones, remain grounded due to lack of trained personnel, the Taliban have effectively integrated lighter arms and vehicles into their operations. These assets have strengthened their grip on power and enabled them to outmatch rivals such as the National Resistance Front and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), reports media.

Efforts to retrieve the weapons seem unlikely to succeed. Speaking at an event hosted by the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, John Sopko, the former head of SIGAR, said any attempt to reclaim US weapons would be “pointless.” “The cost would exceed its actual value,” he remarked as quoted by BBC article.

But while recovery may be impractical, the strategic cost continues to rise. As these weapons proliferate through black markets and find their way into active conflict zones, the risk of escalation looms large, not just in Afghanistan, but in the wider region, from the tribal belt of Pakistan to insurgent-held areas in Yemen and beyond. As one UN source cited by the BBC put it plainly: “This is not just an Afghan problem. It’s a global one.”