What happens when a million weapons fall into the wrong hands?
We’re starting to find out—and it’s not pretty.
After the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, the Taliban gained control of nearly one million pieces of military gear, much of it American-made.
Now, according to sources at the UN, about half of it—roughly 500,000 weapons—has simply vanished.
“Unaccounted for” is the term the Taliban reportedly used behind closed doors at a UN meeting in Doha.
Where Did It All Go?
Black markets. WhatsApp weapons deals.
Local commanders trading firepower like baseball cards.
And even al-Qaeda affiliates, according to the UN, are getting their hands on this gear.
The Taliban denies everything. “All weapons are securely stored,” says their deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump isn’t buying it.
He wants the $85 billion in equipment back, saying, “Afghanistan is one of the biggest sellers of military equipment in the world.”
Experts? They say recovering that gear is a fantasy.
“The cost would exceed its value,” says former US watchdog John Sopko.
So here we are. Half a million weapons missing.
Militants better armed than ever.
And everyone pointing fingers. If history repeats itself, let’s hope it doesn’t do so with an M16.
