According to a US-backed broadcasting service report, arms and ammunition left behind in Afghanistan by the US military have caused havoc in Pakistan. The report claimed that militants in Pakistan had acquired these US weapons, and the government has failed to maintain law and order in the country.
Another Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty report stated that the influx of US weapons had increased the military strength of banned organizations such as Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatist groups.
Over the past two years, the increase in weaponry has led to a surge in violence in Pakistan. In 2021, the US military withdrew its forces from Afghanistan, leaving behind more than $7 billion worth of military equipment, including vehicles, communications equipment, and weapons. During the hasty retreat, the Taliban took control of the guns.
When TTP began to move into settled areas in Pakistan, residents appealed to the army for help. However, the militant group expanded quickly, with the military battling its political battles. People came into the streets, expressing frustration with the government’s failure to address the threat.
The army showed little interest in curbing the tide of militancy in the tribal areas and ignored public outcry. The DG, ISI, was more interested in finding ways to settle TTP militants in the area or negotiating with them. TTP terrorized the area until 2019, when the army last pushed the militants away through a military offensive.
The Afghan Taliban uses TTP as a strategic tool, fearing that Pakistan could abandon them for US interests. The Times of Israel has reported a similar incident when al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed by a US drone, strengthening the Taliban’s fear of Pakistan’s betrayal. The Afghan Taliban comprises many groups, including the Haqqani and Kandahar groups, vying for control of Afghanistan.
