US Black Hawk Hijacking... Demonstration of Advanced Weapon Operation
India Raises Allegations Behind 'Kashmir Conflict'
The Taliban is hanging a person from a Black Hawk helicopter flying over Kandahar, Afghanistan. / Photo by Twitter
[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] The Islamic militant group 'Taliban,' which has taken control of Afghanistan (Afgan), was captured flying through the sky with a person hanging from the US-made attack helicopter 'UH-60 Black Hawk.'
Foreign media such as the British Independent reported on the 30th (local time) that a Black Hawk piloted by the Taliban was seen flying over Kandahar, Afghanistan. Videos filmed from various angles locally are spreading on social media platforms like Twitter.
In the video, the multipurpose military helicopter UH-60 Black Hawk is flying in the sky with a man hanging from it. Netizens speculate that the man is Afghan and claim that this is "one of the ways Taliban members showcase their strength." However, the identity of the hanging man has not yet been revealed.
Michael Doran, a senior researcher at the Hudson Institute think tank and former senior director for the Middle East and North Africa at the US National Security Council (NSC) during the Bush administration, pointed out, "The Taliban, who declared 'We are the winners,' are using American helicopters for revenge killings."
◆ Taliban may sell US-made weapons... Concerns over terrorism
Earlier, on the 25th, the Taliban also released a video of a Black Hawk undergoing a test flight. The video showed the Black Hawk moving with a loud roar in a wide area that appeared to be the landing zone of Kandahar Airport. Two to three individuals, seemingly Taliban members, were also filmed watching the process. The Twitter account that released the video wrote, "The damaged Black Hawk was repaired in Kandahar."
Additionally, the Taliban have been consistently posting videos and photos on social media showing them holding US-made weapons.
Taliban members have released photos holding M16 rifles and M4 carbines instead of their main personal firearm, the Russian-made AK-47. The US-made weapons captured by the Taliban reportedly include not only firearms but also military vehicles, armor-piercing rounds, steel-core bullets, body armor, communication devices, and night vision goggles. The number of military helicopters, including Black Hawks, is said to be around 100.
Accordingly, some speculate that the Taliban might sell some of the US-made weapons to China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and others. There are also concerns that Pakistan, a neighboring country, could act as an intermediary in this process, and that weapons might flow into Pakistan and India, potentially being used for terrorism.
◆ White House: Military assets seized by Taliban... Kashmir terrorism suspicions
Meanwhile, on the 17th, the White House acknowledged that the Taliban had seized Black Hawks and other equipment that the US had provided to the Afghan military. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated at a briefing, "Military assets worth about 100 trillion won that the US poured into Afghanistan over the past 20 years have fallen into the hands of the Taliban."
Indian media such as The Economic Times quoted a senior military official on the 25th, reporting, "There are reports that US-made weapons such as rifles are flowing into Pakistan," and "Terrorist groups in Pakistan, encouraged by the Taliban's victory, could use these weapons for violence within India." India believes that many extremist terrorist acts in the disputed Kashmir region have been carried out under the backing of Pakistani authorities, and the military is reportedly already on high alert regarding this.
The US Department of Defense announced on the 30th (local time) that the withdrawal of US troops stationed in Afghanistan and the evacuation of civilians have been completed. President Joe Biden declared in a statement, "Over the past 17 days, the military has evacuated more than 120,000 American and allied citizens in the largest airlift operation in US history," and "Our 20-year military presence in Afghanistan has now ended."
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