The Taliban's control over Afghanistan has plunged the nation into a state of uncertainty and economic decline, yet arms dealer Khan Muhammad is benefiting from it to the fullest. Muhammad's shop is located between a pharmacy and a grocery store in the Panjwai district of southern Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, and is stocked with new inventory. Camouflaged combat jackets and ammunition belts hang from the walls as Muhammad displays merchandise that includes American-made Smith & Wesson handguns. More handguns, grenades, radios, and ammunition-filled devices are lined up on the shop's glass front.
Khan Muhammad explains that the end of conflict has led many weapons owners to believe they no longer need them. He says, "People who have had weapons in their homes for years bring them to us." He adds, "We buy and sell... to the mujahideen," referring to Taliban fighters, clarifying that the group "does not allow anyone else to carry weapons."
Muhammad's activity is not limited to selling weapons; he also trades in their accessories. White baseball caps with the Shahada (the Islamic declaration of faith) hang from the ceiling, and flags of the movement are displayed for sale. A larger arsenal is available at another store in the Panjwai market, adorned with Taliban flags and images of its prominent leaders. The offerings include assault rifles, various types of Kalashnikovs, as well as American-made M4 and M16 rifles, in addition to light machine guns.
For years, the Taliban purchased arms and ammunition from the black market and seized weapons and equipment from the battlefield and abandoned military sites, according to the United Nations and Western observers. Additionally, the recent collapse of the Afghan army has left the movement with a cache of weapons.
Billions of dollars in arms
Beyond a large quantity of American-made infantry weapons, the new rulers of Afghanistan possess equipment and vehicles including Humvees, armored personnel carriers, and at least one operational Black Hawk helicopter. The militants are also making the most of their other spoils, selling various items acquired from abandoned Afghan and Western military bases.
The Taliban took control of the Panjwai area in July as the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces from Afghanistan accelerated. In the local market, there is a variety of goods ranging from construction materials to metal trays obtained from the nearby Afghan military base. A vendor named Murtaza, who provided only his first name, said, "We bought all these things from the Taliban after they took over the Afghan army base," and added, "Now we are selling them in the market."
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan previously stated from the White House, "We do not have a clear idea of where every piece of equipment is, but it is certain that a large number of them have fallen into the hands of the Taliban... we are not under the impression that they intend to return them to us."
The fall of Western arms into the hands of the militant group has sparked internal criticism in the United States of President Joe Biden's administration. In this context, Representative Lauren Boebert commented that "Biden supports imposing controls on arms sales unless it involves handing the Taliban billions of dollars in military weapons." Republican Party Chair Ronna McDaniel wrote on Twitter, "Thanks to Biden's failed withdrawal, the Taliban is better equipped today than ever before."
