Pentagon Evades Question on Preventing Taliban From Obtaining US Weapons

The Pentagon refused to answer a question Monday on whether it is acting to prevent the Taliban from obtaining U.S. technology, weaponry, vehicles, aircraft and other war equipment in Afghanistan.

A top military official says he does not "have information" about such an effort.

During a Monday press briefing, after being asked if the U.S. was "taking any sort of steps to prevent aircraft or other military equipment from falling into the hands of the Taliban," Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor, Deputy Joint Staff of Regional Operations, repeatedly evaded the question, saying, "I don't have information" about such steps.

The reporter then asked, "so no U.S. action is being taken to prevent equipment from falling into the hands of the Taliban, by destroying it or anything else?" to which Taylor responded, "I don't have the answer to that question."

The New York Post reported, since the Taliban began its sweep across Afghanistan, it has continuously released propaganda videos of its fighters seizing American-supplied vehicles and weapons from Afghan security forces, including video of Taliban fighters showing off U.S.-made Afghan military helicopters over the weekend.

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