Taliban Wants to Reestablish Relations with President Donald Trump – Claims Ownership of Military Equipment Left Behind
The Taliban, claiming ownership of the military equipment and vehicles left behind by the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, has stated that they are ready to reopen relations with the United States. However, they have made it clear that they do not intend to return the military equipment and vehicles that were left in Afghanistan.
Taliban’s foreign minister, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, spoke to CBS News and said, "We want to close the chapter of warfare and open a new chapter." He further stated, "These military assets belong to the state of Afghanistan. They will remain with the state of Afghanistan."
Balkhi also clarified that there was no agreement between the US and Afghanistan regarding the military assets. "These are state-owned assets, so no agreements can be made about them," Balkhi said.
After the withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan in August 2021, military equipment worth nearly $7.2 billion was handed over to the Afghan forces. The equipment included aircraft, military vehicles, tanks, Humvees, weapons, bulletproof vests, communication equipment, and other materials. However, over the last four years, much of this equipment has deteriorated and been damaged by Taliban fighters.
Former US President Donald Trump commented on this issue during a campaign rally last month, saying, "We give billions of dollars every year, but we won’t help them until they return our military equipment."
Meanwhile, some of these military assets have been displayed at various Taliban events, such as a large parade held at Bagram Airbase in August to mark the third anniversary of their government.
