The US has finished its two-week-long evacuation process from the now Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, ending a 20-year long war, which has been America's longest so far started after the 9/11 attacks. Before the wind up of operations, the US military disabled scores of aircraft and armored vehicles as well as a high-tech rocket defense system at the Kabul airport on Monday, a US general said.
73 US aircraft at Hamid Karzai International Airport were 'demilitarised', or rendered useless by US troops, Central Command head General Kenneth McKenzie said. "Those aircraft will never fly again... They'll never be able to be operated by anyone," he said. "Most of them are non-mission capable, to begin with. But certainly, they'll never be able to be flown again."
Two weeks ago on April 14 when the US started airlifting troops and civilians from the Kabul airport, Pentagon built up a force of nearly 6,000 troops to occupy and operate the airport. Once the evacuation process ended, around 70 MRAP armored tactical vehicles, which can cost up to USD 1 million per piece, were disabled before leaving along with 27 Humvees. "The vehicles will never be used again by anyone," he said.
The US also left behind the C-RAM system - counter rocket, artillery, and mortar that was used to protect the airport from rocket attacks. The system helped fend off a five-rocket barrage from the Islamic State on Monday.
(With Agency Inputs)
