KABUL-
The U.S. military stationed in Afghanistan has refuted media reports of providing surplus armoured vehicles and military equipment to Pakistan.
In a statement issued on Thursday, it said that the U.S. military “does not provide or intend to provide” any equipment from Afghanistan to Pakistan.
General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. , U.S. commander of international forces in Afghanistan on Thursday said that the U.S. has an “unwavering” commitment to the Afghan people and the Afghan National Security Forces.
The media reports resulted from Dunford’s testimony earlier this month before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, where he said that the U.S. was considering donating some of its 1,200 mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles known as MRAPs in Afghanistan to the neighbouring Pakistan.
The vehicles would be donated in “as is” condition and countries would have to pay to service and move the vehicles out of Afghanistan, he told the Senate committee.
He said the international forces were looking at ways to provide the MRAPs to partners, including “Afghanistan, Pakistan and other partners that have participated in operations with us.”
The Washington Post reported earlier this month the Pentagon may give Pakistan some of the $7 billion worth of armoured vehicles and other equipment it won’t been needing as the end to the Afghan war is near.
The news story added that the officials of both countries were deliberating over the fate of the leftover military hardware U.S. does not want to be shipped back to America.
According to the figures provided by the U.S. military, over the last 12 years, more than $53 billion in equipment and support, 160 aircraft, 100,000 vehicles, 500,000 weapons and 200,000 pieces of communications and night-vision equipment have been provided by the U.S. to the Afghan National Security Forces while more equipment continues to be delivered.
