ISLAMABAD: Advanced US military weapons abandoned in Afghanistan after the American withdrawal in 2021 are being used by terrorist groups to carry out attacks in Pakistan, posing serious security risks to the entire region, CNN reported.
Large quantities of advanced arms originally supplied to Afghanistan’s former security forces were left behind during the US exit in 2021 and have since fallen into the hands of banned terrorist groups, according to the CNN report.
John Sopko, former head of the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), told CNN that nearly 300,000 advanced US weapons remained in Afghanistan at the time of the withdrawal.
The arms include assault rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles and night-vision equipment.
Sopko said the weapons now pose a growing threat not only to Pakistan but also to other neighbouring countries, including Iran and China.
Use by TTP and BLA
CNN reported that banned groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) are using US-made weapons in terror attacks inside Pakistan.
The weapons include M4 and M16 rifles, M249 machine guns, Remington sniper rifles and night-vision devices, the report said.
The United States designated the BLA as a terrorist organisation in August 2025.
Pakistani security officials showed weapons recovered from terrorists during counter-terrorism operations.
The arms bore US markings and were traced to attacks carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan, according to investigators.
Terror groups’ links to Afghan Taliban
Security experts said terrorist groups gained access to the weapons through their links with the Afghan Taliban.
Taliban control of Afghanistan has allowed local commanders to retain arms, fuelling a thriving black market.
The availability of advanced military equipment has made attacks more lethal and complex, particularly in Pakistan’s border regions, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, analysts said.
CNN reported that some of the weapons have also entered civilian markets in Afghanistan, where deteriorating security has driven demand for firearms.
Regional and international concern
Security analysts said the proliferation of US weapons has raised alarm beyond Pakistan. They warned that continued access to such arms could further destabilise South Asia.
UN reports have also flagged concerns that terrorist groups, including the TTP, are using US-made weapons left behind after the Taliban takeover.
In May, Pakistani officials told The Washington Post that dozens of seized rifles shown to reporters had been supplied by the US to Afghan forces, reinforcing concerns about uncontrolled spread.
Pakistan’s official stance
Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at international forums. In January 2026, the Foreign Office said the presence of US weapons in Afghanistan was a matter of “profound concern” for Pakistan’s security.
“These weapons have been used by terrorist organisations, including the TTP, to carry out terrorist attacks in Pakistan,” the Foreign Office spokesperson said, urging the Taliban authorities in Kabul to ensure the arms do not fall into terrorist hands.
Defence analysts said Pakistan has pressed the United States and European countries to help recover or secure the weapons and to place pressure on the Afghan authorities.
