ISLAMABAD – The United States is enhancing operational capacity of its troops in Afghanistan to tackle new challenges following the Afghan Taliban’s refusal to join the quadrilateral peace process.
According to credible sources in the shipping industry the US military has sent new tactical equipment, including vehicles to Afghanistan.
Interestingly, the new equipment is reaching Afghanistan through Pakistan at a time when the United States has appointed General John W. Nicholson as new commander of the US forces in Afghanistan (USFOR-A) and the NATO Resolute Support Mission earlier this month.
Sharing details of the new equipment with The Nation, sources in the shipping industry said that a merchant vessel MV Liberty Promise shipped the new equipment Karachi port on March 1 and left the port on March 6 after discharging the equipment.
The consignment, according to the sources contained 401 military vehicles largely Humvees, each weighing 2.5 ton, along with four other consignments belonging to private companies.
The US military also imported one unit of screen machine, impact crusher, etc, and the port of shipment was Jacksonville. The US Embassy in Islamabad imported four boats, TC craft and tow unit and the port of shipment was Beaumont.
China Gezhouba Group Company Ltd imported 10 trucks from Jeddah and Airblue Ltd air-conditioned passenger buses.
The vessel loaded (port of shipment) the military vehicles from Wilmington, US for Afghanistan thorough Karachi port.
The United States has transit agreement with Pakistan since it launched war against terror in Afghanistan in 2001.
This development comes after the US withdrawn its troops as per its drawdown plans announced by President Obama 2014.
Analysts and experts believed that the new US equipment for Afghanistan has come following serious threats from Afghan Taliban who have refused to join peace talks and instead announced plans to step up their attacks.
The Taliban have set preconditions to join the peace talks which include withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan.http://nation.com.pk/national/25-Mar-2016/us-to-enhance-operational-capacity-in-afghanistan
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