U.S. Weapons Used in Jaffar Express Attack Linked to Afghan Withdrawal: Washington Post Investigation

Quetta:A recent investigative report by **The Washington Post** has confirmed that the weapons used in the **Jaffar Express** attack in Balochistan, which took place earlier, were **U.S.-made** and had been supplied to Afghan forces during the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan. The report revealed that a **rifle manufactured in the U.S. in 2018** was found in the possession of the attackers.

The rifle, an **M16** model, along with other modern weapons and **night vision devices**, was recovered from the attackers following the **Pakistani military operation** that targeted them after the **train attack**. At the time, Pakistani authorities had publicly stated that the weapons found in the possession of the assailants were of **American origin** and had likely been left behind by U.S. forces during their withdrawal from Afghanistan.

The Washington Post’s investigation corroborated this stance, with confirmation from both the **U.S. military** and the **Pentagon** that a total of **63 weapons** used by the attackers had been supplied by the U.S. government to Afghan forces. One of these rifles, an **M4A1**, was identified as a model manufactured in 2018, and it was confirmed that it had been left behind by American troops as they withdrew from Afghanistan.

The report also highlighted that, during the U.S. exit, the **Taliban** had seized billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment, which subsequently found its way into **cross-border weapons markets** in Pakistan and fell into the hands of militants. This equipment, including **American rifles**, **machine guns**, and **night vision glasses**, is now being used by groups such as the **Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)** and other militant factions in attacks across the region.

This revelation raises significant concerns regarding the aftermath of the U.S. military withdrawal and the fate of the weapons provided to Afghan forces, many of which are now reportedly being used by extremist groups to fuel violence and instability in the region.