Khalil al-Rahman Haqqani is a leader of Taliban-affiliated Haqqani networks and a U.S.-designated terror suspect with a five-million dollar bounty. He delivered his sermon to large crowds at the Pul-I-Khishti Mosque, Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday Aug. 20, 2021. Marcus Yam/Getty Images
A propaganda video was released by the Taliban showing its fighters in US uniforms and gear.
Insurgents have seized billions of dollars of US equipment that was left behind by Afghan soldiers fleeing Afghanistan.
Khalil Haqqani was a recognized global terrorist and delivered a sermon in Kabul, while carrying an assault rifle from the United States.
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A propaganda video released by the Taliban shows its fighters wearing stolen US military uniforms and using US-made assault rifles.
The video was broadcast on propaganda channels associated with the insurgent group. The video stated that the group had sent an elite unit known as "Badri 313", to protect Kabul's locations.
August 17, 2021 by Qari Saeed Khosty (@SaeedKhosty).
The uniforms and weapons worn by these men are taken from US Special Forces stockpiles, which were provided to the Afghan army.
According to The Sun, the insurgents were seen wearing bulletproof vests and night vision goggles and wielding assault rifles M4 and M-16.
This contrasts sharply with the group's trademark uniform of turbans and trainers as well as AK-47s.
In a massive offensive, the Taliban took control in Afghanistan. This culminated in Sunday's fall of Kabul.
Reports suggest that the insurgents have captured billions of dollars of US weapons, which were left behind by soldiers fleeing. They easily defeated Afghan forces.
-AFP News Agency (@AFP), August 19, 2021
Between 2002 and 2017, an estimated $28 billion was spent by the US on weaponry for Afghan forces.
A US official said that "everything that hasn’t been destroyed is the Taliban’s now," Reuters was told by the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Khalil Haqqani (a senior member the Taliban splinter network Haqani network) was photographed in Kabul preaching at a packed mosque, while holding a US-made M-4 gun.
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He seems to be flanked with armed guards, also wearing US military gear.
Another official stated to Reuters that the Taliban have control of approximately 2,000 armored vehicles including Humvees and as many as 40 aircraft including UH-60 Black Hawks and scout attack helicopters.
The group won't be able to fly the aircraft but the seizures will be used as propaganda.
It's a status symbol for an armed group to have access to American-made weapons. It's a psychological win," Elias Yousif (deputy director, Center for International Policy Security Assistance Monitor), told The Hill.
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