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Taliban present their weapons in Kabul
Photo: STRINGER / REUTERS
The Taliban held a military parade in Kabul on Sunday - and demonstrated numerous captured weapons and military equipment.
During the exercise, dozens of American-made M117 armored security vehicles drove down a street in Kabul.
Over it flew MI-17 helicopters made in Russia.
Many soldiers carried American M4 assault rifles.
The parade was held to mark a graduation ceremony for 250 newly trained soldiers, Defense Ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khwarazmi said.
When the western troops withdrew from Afghanistan, they had left behind large stocks of weapons.
The Taliban used this to equip their fighters.
Guns were left behind by the Afghan army
Most of the weapons and equipment that have now fallen into the hands of the Taliban have been delivered to the Afghan armed forces by Washington.
It reportedly included more than $ 28 billion in supplies and services, including weapons, ammunition, vehicles, night vision devices, aircraft and surveillance systems.
The Afghan army had been trained for years to defend the country, including by German soldiers.
But in the end, the Taliban overran them within a few weeks.
In many places the fleeing soldiers held out their weapons without a fight.
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When they withdrew, US forces destroyed more than 70 aircraft, dozen of armored vehicles and disabled air defense systems.
Even so, the Taliban fell into the hands of several planes.
It is unclear how many of them are ready for use.
Taliban representatives had declared in the past that pilots, mechanics and other specialists from the former Afghan army should be integrated into a new force.
The Taliban fighters are now wearing uniforms and no longer traditional Afghan clothing.
slü / Reuters