Washington, Dec 08 (V7N) - A recent report by the United States’ Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) reveals that the weapons, military equipment, and security infrastructure left behind by the U.S. during its 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan have become the backbone of the Taliban’s security apparatus.

According to Pakistani media outlet The Dawn, investigations by United Nations observers and the Washington Post indicate that parts of these weapons have already reached the banned Pakistani group Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), strengthening the group’s operational capabilities within Pakistan.

The 137-page SIGAR report details that from 2002 to 2021, the U.S. spent nearly $144.7 billion on Afghanistan’s reconstruction, including training security forces and building infrastructure. Despite this massive investment, none of the objectives were fully achieved.

A recent United Nations report notes that the Afghan Taliban continues to provide logistical and operational support to the TTP. The Washington Post confirmed that at least 63 weapons in TTP possession in Pakistan matched serial numbers of U.S.-supplied arms.

The U.S. Department of Defense has acknowledged that it left approximately $71 billion worth of equipment in Afghanistan, including thousands of vehicles, hundreds of thousands of firearms, night vision devices, and over 160 aircraft. Many of these are now being used for operations against Pakistan.

From 2002 to June 2025, the U.S. spent $31.2 billion on infrastructure, vehicles, weapons, and transportation for Afghan security forces. This included 96,000 ground vehicles, 427,000 firearms, 17,400 night vision devices, and at least 162 aircraft. By the time of the Afghan government’s collapse in 2021, 131 U.S.-supplied aircraft were under the Afghan Air Force, most of which are now under Taliban control. Additional expenditure of $11.5 billion had been made to construct bases, headquarters, and training centers, which are now largely controlled by the Taliban.

SIGAR’s report emphasizes that the U.S. made strategic errors from the outset, relying on corrupt and human rights-violating leaders. This reliance bolstered insurgent recruitment and weakened state institutions. Mismanagement, fraud, and waste led to losses between $26 billion and $29.2 billion.

The human toll was substantial. Over two decades, more than 10,000 Afghan civilians and 2,450 U.S. military personnel lost their lives, yet the Taliban regained power. Since August 2021, the United States has provided $3.83 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, demonstrating commitment despite ongoing security risks.

The report warns that Afghanistan’s experience illustrates the risks and potential failure of large-scale state reconstruction projects in fragile states. The fallout from these failures now poses a broader security threat to the region.

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