Opinion | US Weapons Left in Afghanistan Sold to Terrorists in Pakistan: A Growing Regional Threat

This unintended consequence of a hasty retreat has significantly altered the regional security calculus. The Taliban’s swift return to power led to their immediate control over vast caches of US military equipment.

When the United States completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021, it marked the end of a two-decade-long military campaign. While the departure closed a controversial chapter in American foreign policy, it also opened the door to new and dangerous regional threats. One of the most alarming developments since the withdrawal has been the proliferation of abandoned American military hardware, which has reportedly made its way into Pakistan — not into the hands of state actors, but rather into the possession of militant groups operating along the volatile Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

This unintended consequence of a hasty retreat has significantly altered the regional security calculus. The Taliban’s swift return to power led to their immediate control over vast caches of US military equipment. An official 2022 report by the US Department of Defense stated that over $7 billion worth of equipment had been left behind. These included firearms like M4 carbines and M16 rifles, armored vehicles such as Humvees and MRAPs, advanced surveillance drones, night vision gear, encrypted communication devices, and even Black Hawk helicopters. While efforts were made to disable certain sensitive items, large quantities of equipment remained functional and were absorbed by Taliban fighters almost overnight.

Initial visuals emerging from Afghanistan showed Taliban foot soldiers dressed in modern combat gear and brandishing American rifles — a stark and troubling image. Yet, the problem didn’t stop there. Reports from the tribal belt of Pakistan and parts of Balochistan indicate that some of this weaponry has filtered across the border and landed in the hands of extremist groups like the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), and Baloch separatists.

Smuggling networks that once trafficked narcotics, humans, and other contraband have shifted focus, transporting military-grade equipment through porous border routes into Pakistan. Several investigations, including one by BBC Urdu, confirmed that US-manufactured rifles, night vision goggles, and even drone components were available in black markets in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. These weapons, often sold at exorbitant prices, have been used to deadly effect against Pakistani security forces.

The increase in attacks on military convoys, police stations, and check posts in 2023 underscores how these weapons have shifted the tactical balance. Insurgents once considered poorly armed are now operating with sophisticated American gear, using thermal scopes, encrypted radios, and long-range firearms to execute ambushes and avoid detection. According to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), over 500 security personnel lost their lives in counter-terror operations in 2023 alone, marking one of the deadliest years in recent memory. The causes behind these casualties are increasingly linked to the use of modern weapons obtained from the abandoned stockpiles in Afghanistan.

What makes this situation even more troubling is its broader regional impact. The presence of US-origin weapons in Pakistan’s insurgent-controlled zones poses a severe threat to neighboring countries, particularly India and China. For India, there are growing concerns that such weapons could be smuggled into Kashmir and used to intensify the ongoing militancy. While no confirmed cases have emerged yet, the possibility cannot be ruled out given the scale of arms leakage and the established smuggling networks.

China, too, is watching the situation with concern. Its massive investments in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), especially in Balochistan, have already drawn the ire of separatist groups. There have been several attacks on Chinese engineers and workers in recent years, and experts fear that access to advanced weaponry could embolden militant factions, making such attacks more frequent and more lethal.

The presence of these weapons also raises serious questions about the Taliban’s complicity, or at least their lack of control. Some intelligence sources suggest that factions within the Taliban regime may be profiting from arms sales, fueling an underground economy in weapons that is difficult to track or contain. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials have called for greater international support to curb the flow of arms and to pressure the Taliban into taking responsibility.

Critics in the United States have also questioned the logistics and planning of the withdrawal itself. Many argue that insufficient attention was paid to the fate of military hardware during the transition, and that the sheer volume of weaponry left behind was a strategic blunder with long-term consequences.

The complexity of the situation demands multi-layered responses. Pakistan must intensify its border management and internal surveillance mechanisms to prevent further infiltration of these arms. There is also an urgent need for international cooperation — particularly from the United States and NATO allies — to provide technical and intelligence support for tracking and disabling smuggled weapons. Moreover, there needs to be greater diplomatic pressure on the Taliban to crack down on smuggling operations and prevent the rearming of violent non-state actors.

While hard security measures are critical, soft interventions such as youth engagement, education, and economic development in vulnerable regions must also be prioritized to counter extremist narratives and reduce the recruitment base for militant outfits. Pakistan’s security crisis is no longer just about ideology; it is now also about technology — and in this case, that technology bears a “Made in USA” stamp.

As the world grapples with new global conflicts, from Ukraine to Gaza, the story unfolding in Pakistan’s tribal regions is a stark reminder of how the aftermath of one war can fuel the beginning of another. The specter of abandoned US weapons being wielded by extremists not only threatens Pakistan’s internal security but could easily spiral into a broader regional challenge.

This isn’t merely about misplaced equipment — it’s about lives lost, threats magnified, and a region inching toward greater instability. The weapons of yesterday’s war are now in the hands of tomorrow’s insurgents. The world cannot afford to look away.

Writer’s Mail ID : syedjahanzeeb2@gmail.com