Republicans seek accountability for US arms falling in Taliban’s hands

Washington, August 20

Over two dozen Republican senators have sought accountability from the Biden administration over billions of dollars worth sensitive military equipment of the US seized by the Taliban in Afghanistan and warned about the possibility of the insurgents seeking help from countries like Russia, Pakistan, Iran and China to use them.

In the letter to Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, senators Bill Cassidy, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and 22 Senate Republicans expressed grave concern regarding the status of high-tech US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan as a result of “our poorly executed withdrawal” from the country.

Billions of dollars of US weapons are now in the hands of the Taliban insurgents following the quick collapse of the Afghan security forces that were trained to use the military equipment. Among the weapons seized by the Taliban are Black Hawk helicopters and A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft. “As we watched the images coming out of Afghanistan, we were horrified to see US equipment, including UH-60 Black Hawks, in the hands of Taliban,” the senators wrote. —PTI

Thousands await evacuation from Af

The US struggled to pick up the pace of American and Afghan evacuations at the Kabul airport, constrained by obstacles ranging from armed Taliban checkpoints to paperwork problems. Tens of thousands remain to be airlifted. AP

Will get every american back: biden

Asserting that the US would use every resource necessary to bring its citizens, allies to safety, US President Joe Biden on Friday pledged that every American who wanted to return would be evacuated from Taliban-ruled Aghanistan. Biden said the US was in close contact with the Taliban to gain access to the Kabul airport for US-aligned Afghan citizens. —Reuters

Pentagon ops

7,000 evacuated since Aug 14

5,200 US troops in Kabul

12,000 People moved out of Afghanistan