Taliban Rejects U.S. Demand to Return Military Equipment, Eyes New Relationship for Economic Aid
The Taliban rejected calls to return the military equipment left behind by the U.S. when American forces withdrew from the country in 2021, according to a Bloomberg report.
A Taliban spokesperson, who requested to remain anonymous, stated that the group requires the weapons and ammunition to combat ISIS-K (Islamic State Khorasan) rather than returning the military assets. This statement came after former President Donald Trump, during a rally, threatened to cut off U.S. financial assistance to Afghanistan unless the country returned U.S. military equipment, including aircraft, air-to-ground munitions, vehicles, and communications gear.
Trump said, “If we’re going to pay billions of dollars a year, tell them we’re not going to give them the money unless they give back our military equipment.”
The Taliban, however, did not respond directly to Trump’s comments.
When U.S. troops withdrew from Afghanistan after two decades of military presence, they left behind weapons valued at around $7 billion. Shortly afterward, the Taliban seized control of the country. Despite rejecting Trump’s demands, the Taliban has expressed a desire to build a fresh relationship with the U.S., particularly to access nearly $9 billion in frozen foreign reserves.
The Taliban aims to gain international recognition and establish peaceful relations with the U.S. to help revitalize Afghanistan’s economy, which has been severely drained after losing international aid, the report added.
Recently, the Taliban government announced that it had facilitated a swap, releasing an American citizen in exchange for an Afghan who had been imprisoned in the U.S.
Although some countries like China, Pakistan, and Russia have welcomed Taliban representatives, these nations have not officially recognized the Taliban administration. The group’s governance has been heavily criticized for numerous human rights violations.In 2024, China became the first nation to offer the Taliban formal diplomatic recognition.
