According to the Afghan Defence Ministry, the United States has delivered 403 Humvee lightly armoured tactical wheeled vehicles, 43 Rangers, 23 ambulances and 170 motorcycles to the armed forces.
Deputy Defence Minister Shah Mahmood Miakhil signalled at the delivery ceremony of the platforms that US grant support to Afghanistan would continue. “As part of the ministry’s strategy, the Armed Forces of Afghanistan will be equipped with modern equipment,” Miakhil said.
Meanwhile, no decision has yet been reached on the US and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The Taliban re-called for the fulfilment of the agreement signed by the United States in Doha on February 14th.
Under the agreement, the White House had said about two thousand troops stationed in Afghanistan would withdraw, but the US administration has not yet announced its final decision. “Regardless of the outcome of our review, the United States of America will not withdraw from Afghanistan in a hasty or irregular way,” Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
211216-N-QI061-1222 NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (December 16, 2021) An MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), sits on the flight line at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, 2021. VUP-19, the Navy’s first Triton squadron, will continue to maintain and operate the aircraft off the East Coast to further develop the concept of operations and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan T. Beard/ Released)