WASHINGTON: The United States National Security Council spokesman John Kirby denied the military gear left by US armed forces in Afghanistan fell into the hands of militants.
He rejected the notion that the US abandoned military hardware in Afghanistan on a question in a news briefing.
“There was no equipment left behind by American forces. There was a small amount of equipment and some aircraft at the airport when we finished our evacuation efforts, but they were all rendered unusable. In fact, the only thing that we left that the Taliban could take advantage of was some tow trucks and trucks with ladders on them, and that kind of thing; I think some firefighting equipment.”
“The militants gained the control of the military equipment, about $7 billion, left behind by American forces,” reporter questioned. “Just let me stop you right there.”
Kirby did admit that military equipment fell into the hands of militants saying, “the equipment that you’re talking about, was transferred well in advance of our departure to the Afghan National Security Forces”.
It belonged to the Afghan security forces, that was part of the mission of our troops to train up and to support Afghan national security forces as they took charge of security in their country.”
Kirby said that Afghan forces abandoned that equipment, not the United States.
The spokesperson said that Washington would work with Pakistan to counter the threat it faced from Afghanistan border. –Agencies
