Taliban Using Weapons Left by US Forces in Fight against Pakistan

Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban are sliding deeper into open confrontation, with airstrikes, artillery duels, and anti-aircraft fire lighting up the frontier. But behind the battlefield smoke lies a volatile accelerant: advanced U.S. military equipment abandoned during Washington’s 2021 withdrawal, weapons now reshaping the balance of firepower along the Durand Line.

Pakistan Federal Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry has rejected claims that Pakistan had paused its offensive. He clearly said - False and fabricated news is being spread on social media that Pakistan has stopped its operations against Afghanistan. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has already declared the situation amounts to “open war.”

Pakistan confirmed strikes on Kabul and Kandahar, while Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces were firing anti-aircraft guns at Pakistani jets over the capital. Fighting has also been reported near Bagram Airfield, once the epicenter of American air operations.

The Arsenal America Left Behind

When the United States ended its two-decade war in 2021, it left behind an estimated 7 billion Dollar worth of military equipment, much of it falling into Taliban hands after the collapse of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

That cache reportedly includes, UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft, ScanEagle surveillance drones, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, Humvees and armored personnel carriers, M4 and M16 rifles, Night-vision goggles and thermal optics and Advanced communications systems besides large amount of ammunitions.

While not all aircraft remain operational due to maintenance challenges, security sources say ground equipment, particularly armored vehicles, optics, and small arms, has significantly enhanced the Taliban’s battlefield capacity. Pakistani officials argue that these weapons have emboldened the Taliban and affiliated militants.

Night-vision equipment, once a decisive American advantage, is now believed to be in Taliban inventories, allowing fighters to conduct coordinated nighttime operations along mountainous border terrain. MRAP vehicles designed to withstand improvised explosive devices reportedly give Taliban forces improved survivability against Pakistani artillery and drone strikes. Even more concerning for Islamabad is the proliferation risk. Pakistan has long accused Kabul of failing to restrain Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants. Pakistani intelligence sources claim some U.S.-origin weapons have appeared in TTP hands, though the Taliban government denies facilitating transfers.

Air Defense and Anti-Aircraft Fire

Although there is no confirmed evidence that advanced U.S.-supplied surface-to-air missile systems are operational, Taliban forces have used heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft artillery to challenge Pakistani aircraft. The sight of tracer fire over Kabul underscores how dramatically the military equation has shifted since 2021. The presence of U.S.-origin weapons in an escalating Pakistan-Taliban conflict presents a geopolitical paradox: equipment once meant to stabilize Afghanistan is now part of a regional confrontation.

Bombs Over Kabul and Kandahar

Pakistan acknowledged bombing major Afghan cities on Friday, including Kabul and Kandahar, the latter widely regarded as the spiritual power base of the Taliban’s supreme leadership. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared that both countries were now in “open war” after months of tit-for-tat clashes along the disputed frontier. The escalation follows an Afghan offensive launched February 26 along the volatile Durand Line border. Islamabad retaliated with cross-border shelling and air power. An explosion followed by sustained gunfire rocked central Kabul on Sunday. Anti-aircraft fire was seen streaking across the capital’s sky. Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed Afghan forces were targeting Pakistani aircraft. He said that “Anti-aircraft fire is being directed at Pakistani aircraft in Kabul.” Clashes have also reportedly occurred near the former U.S. air base at Bagram Airfield, a symbol of America’s two-decade war in Afghanistan.