In the quiet corners of Badghis province, a recent weapons audit has revealed a troubling security breach—large quantities of weapons, including US-made arms, have disappeared from the Afghan army’s 3rd Brigade headquarters, part of the ex-207th Al-Farooq Corps. The discovery has sent shockwaves through Afghanistan’s intelligence circles, with the provincial General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) urgently calling for an inquiry from Kabul. Among the missing weapons are AK-47s, M16s, Beretta 9mm pistols, and large caches of ammunition. The big question now is: Where have these weapons gone? And, perhaps more importantly, who has them now?

This isn’t just a case of misplaced inventory. It’s a story we’ve seen unfold time and again—a story where weapons don’t simply vanish, but instead reappear in the hands of militant groups, fueling instability and violence in the region. The Taliban, despite their repeated promises to maintain security, are once again facing allegations of failing to prevent—or perhaps even enabling—the steady flow of arms to groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Weapons that tell a story

When the United States withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021, it left behind a massive arsenal of military-grade weaponry. The official line was that these arms would be under the control of Afghanistan’s security forces. But reality has played out very differently. Reports have surfaced over the past two years showing how these weapons—originally meant to equip Afghan forces—have made their way into the hands of militant groups, particularly TTP, which has been responsible for countless attacks in Pakistan.

The discovery of missing weapons in Badghis adds another layer to this unsettling trend. These aren’t just statistics in an audit report—they are tools of war, now potentially in the possession of insurgents who continue to wreak havoc in the region.

Pakistan has long warned of this spillover effect. In counterterrorism operations over the past year, Pakistani forces have seized significant caches of American and other foreign-made weapons from TTP hideouts. The presence of M4 rifles, night-vision gear, and advanced sniper equipment among these stockpiles suggests a clear and steady pipeline of arms flowing out of Afghanistan and into the hands of militants.

Reinforcing doubts about Taliban

The gravity of the situation cannot be overstated. If Afghan army depots are being looted—whether by corrupt insiders, arms traffickers, or militant sympathizers—the entire region is at risk. These stolen weapons do not stay idle. They are used in attacks, they empower extremist factions, and they contribute to the growing instability that threatens not just Afghanistan, but its neighbors as well.

A particularly chilling example of this came when Pakistani forces eliminated Badruddin, a former member of Afghanistan’s 207th Al-Farooq Corps, who was found fighting for TTP on Pakistani soil. He was using US-made weapons—ones that should have been secured within Afghan military stockpiles. His presence on the battlefield, alongside TTP insurgents, raises uncomfortable but necessary questions about infiltration within Afghanistan’s security forces and the extent to which state institutions are compromised.

The Taliban government has repeatedly denied allegations of supporting or sheltering terrorist groups. But the facts on the ground paint a different picture. The consistent pattern of stolen weapons finding their way into terrorist hands undermines their credibility. If Afghanistan is truly committed to counterterrorism, why do incidents like this keep happening?

For Afghanistan’s leadership, this is a moment of reckoning. The missing weapons from Badghis are not just a logistical failure—they are a glaring sign of either negligence or deliberate facilitation. The world is watching, and the Taliban must make a choice: crack down on arms smuggling and terrorist networks or continue to allow their country to be a launchpad for regional violence.

This crisis also exposes a harsh truth about the Taliban’s governance. If they cannot secure their own military stockpiles, how can they claim to provide security for an entire nation? The international community has already been skeptical of their ability—or willingness—to control militant groups within their borders. The continued loss of weapons to extremists only reinforces those doubts.

A warning sign for region

If Afghanistan fails to get a grip on this situation, the consequences will be severe. Pakistan will face an emboldened TTP, armed with sophisticated weapons, launching even deadlier attacks. Other terrorist organizations, including ISIS-K, may also gain access to these weapons, escalating violence across Afghanistan and beyond. The region is already volatile—adding unchecked arms proliferation into the mix only worsens the security landscape.

For Pakistan, the response must be firm. Intelligence operations must be strengthened to track and intercept weapons before they cross the border. Counterterrorism operations must continue targeting TTP strongholds. And on the diplomatic front, pressure must be applied to the Taliban to take concrete action in preventing their territory from being used as a staging ground for militant activities.

The United States and its allies also have a stake in this issue. Billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment were left behind in Afghanistan, and those weapons are now fueling insurgencies. Washington cannot afford to turn a blind eye. There must be international scrutiny, not just on Afghanistan’s internal security policies, but on the broader issue of where these weapons are ending up.

At its core, this isn’t just about missing weapons. It’s about what those weapons represent—a growing security vacuum, a failure of governance, and a rising threat to regional stability. The Taliban may continue to deny, deflect, and downplay the issue, but the evidence is becoming impossible to ignore.

For Afghanistan to move forward as a stable nation, it must prove that it is more than just a haven for armed groups. It must demonstrate real control over its security forces, real commitment to counterterrorism, and real action to prevent its weapons from fueling the very violence it claims to oppose.

The missing weapons from Badghis are a warning sign. If ignored, they will not just resurface in some distant battlefield—they will come back as bullets, as bombs, as acts of terror that claim innocent lives. And by then, the cost of inaction will be far too high.

(The author is a visiting faculty at the Department of Politics and International Relations, International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI). She holds an MS in Strategic Studies from Air University Islamabad. Views expressed are personal. She can be reached at saranazeer2@gmail.com )