Afghanistan Times
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KABUL — Weapons left behind by US forces during their 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan were used in the recent hijacking of the Jaffar Express, The Washington Post has reported, citing confirmation from the Pentagon and US Army.
According to ARY News, which quoted the Post on Monday, a US-manufactured M4A1 carbine rifle was among the arms recovered after the two-day clearance operation. The rifle, made by American arms manufacturer Colt, bore a serial number proving it had originally been supplied to US forces in Afghanistan before being abandoned during the pullout.
The attack occurred on March 11 in the Bolan district of Balochistan, when the Peshawar-bound Jaffar Express, carrying 440 passengers, was ambushed by armed assailants who blew up the tracks, took hostages, and engaged in a standoff with security forces.
After an extensive operation involving the Pakistan Army, Air Force, Frontier Corps, and Special Services Group, all 33 attackers were killed and the hostages rescued, according to ISPR DG Lt Gen Sharif Chaudhry.
Speaking on Dunya News, Lt Gen Chaudhry revealed that the militants had remained in contact with handlers in Afghanistan via satellite phones during the siege. He confirmed that while 100 passengers were rescued on the first day, the terrorists killed 21 civilians before the final assault that secured the train.
The Pentagon confirmed that at least 63 US-supplied weapons examined during the investigation had been officially handed over to Afghan security forces prior to the fall of Kabul in 2021.
