Defense

Islamic State militants claim capture of U.S. weapons in Afghanistan

Written by Teunis Felter

Militants linked to Islamic State have released photos that purport to show weapons and equipment that belonged to American soldiers and were captured by the group in eastern Afghanistan. The photos, which came to light on Saturday, show an American portable rocket launcher, radio, grenades and other gear not commonly used by Afghan troops, as well as close up views of identification cards for a U.S. Army soldier, Specialist Ryan Larson. The U.S. military command in Kabul denied any suggestion the soldier had been captured, saying he “has been accounted for and remains in a duty status within his unit.” American special operations troops have been fighting alongside Afghan forces in a renewed offensive against militants who claim allegiance to Islamic State in Nangarhar Province, which borders Pakistan. In July, U.S. commanders said at least five special forces were injured in fighting in the province. The website that published the photos speculated that the equipment and weapons were left behind during that engagement, but Flesvig said American officials are still trying to determine exactly when and how it was lost.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/islamic-state-militants-claim-capture-u-weapons-afghanistan-102609536.html

About the author

Teunis Felter

Teunis Felter has over 20 years experience as an author, editor, and scientist. When not exploring outside, he enjoys reading history, researching genealogy, and civilly discussing politics.