RASC News Agency: Reports from Herat province in western Afghanistan indicate that American military equipment left behind by the Ghani administration is being transferred to Pakistan by senior Taliban officials. A reliable source in Herat, who wished to remain anonymous, told RASC News Agency on Tuesday, April 23, that most military vehicles from the Republic era that were in airports and other security institutions in Afghanistan are currently being transported by the Taliban to eastern provinces and then to Pakistan.
Since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, they have transferred hundreds of military vehicles left behind by the previous administration to Pakistan, reaping significant benefits in exchange. According to the source, the Taliban currently possess only a few military vehicles, which are not substantial in number. However, other sources in western Afghanistan told RASC News Agency that thousands of tanks, Rangers, and other vehicles were housed in government facilities across the country, and only about 30% of them remain in the provinces.
The source added that Pakistan serves as the spiritual parent of the Taliban on the global stage, and the Taliban must comply with their guidance. According to the source, one of the ways the Taliban rose to power in Afghanistan was through Pakistan, and the group continues to repay that country for its support. Khalid Shayan, an expert on Afghanistan affairs, told RASC News Agency that the Taliban have close ties with Pakistan, leading to various forms of collaboration with the country.
According to Shayan, military vehicles are just a minor item the Taliban may provide to Pakistan; the real concern is that they may hand over natural resources and mines to Pakistan. Shayan further emphasized that there is a high likelihood that Pakistan may already control some of Afghanistan’s mines and underground resources, which have not yet been disclosed. On the other hand, Jawid Sabri, a university professor, told RASC that the Taliban had previously transferred military vehicles from the former Afghanistan government to Pakistan and continue to do so today.
He stated that the Taliban have never truly gained independence among the Afghanistani people. Sabri added that if the Taliban had pursued genuine aspirations in Afghanistani society, the fates of thousands of people from various ethnic groups would not be in such a dire and precarious state, with many wandering in foreign lands. The Taliban authorities in Herat have not commented on the matter.
