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The last manned U.S. military aircraft departed Kabul’s airport on Monday.
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A US general said on Monday that the United States had permanently disabled more than 150 vehicles and aircraft when the army departed.
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The Taliban occupied an arsenal of operational US-made weapons when it defeated Afghan troops.
U.S. Central Command General Kenneth F. Mackenzie said on Monday afternoon that the last manned U.S. military aircraft departed from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, ending nearly 20 years of war in Afghanistan.
Asked about the military equipment left at the airport, Mackenzie said some were taken out. Other systems were “demilitarized,” that is, the US military deliberately broke them to prevent them from being used, CENTCOM revealed for insiders.
The counter rocket, artillery, and mortar (C-RAM) systems used to fend off rocket attacks on the airport on Monday were kept online until the very end and then demilitarized.
“We have demilitarized those systems so they will never be used again,” Mackenzie said. “We felt it was more important to protect our army than to restore those systems.”
The demilitarized zone includes 70 “never used” mine-resistant ambush protection (MRAP) vehicles, 27 “never driven” humvees, and 73 “never fly” aircraft, the general said. Further explained. “” Anyway, many of the aircraft weren’t mission-ready.
“They will never be able to operate anyone,” said the CENTCOM commander.
McKenzie added that some systems, such as fire trucks and front-end loaders, remain in operation so that the airport can resume operations as soon as possible.
Even if the Taliban, which quickly seized control of Afghanistan in a major attack earlier this month, could not use a system that the U.S. military did not adopt when leaving Kabul Airport, the group could get it. Now you have many other working systems.
The Taliban managed to capture a significant amount of American-made weapons, From rifles to military vehiclesWhen it conquered the country and the United States defeated the Afghan army, which spent billions of dollars on armament and equipment.
Faced with criticisms about the treatment of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Biden administration has admitted that US-funded combat capabilities have fallen to the Taliban.
“Obviously, we don’t have a complete picture of where all the articles in the defense material went, but a significant amount is in the hands of the Taliban,” said Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Adviser. I crossed. ” Said a few days after the collapse of the Afghan capital..
Read the original article Business insider
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