Quote:
Originally Posted by whdonnelly
Would like to add that a majority of the larger equipment left with the ANA was beat up and nearing the end of useful service. A possible exception were the A-29s but even they won't last without maintenance.
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Planes are most certainly deadlined soon; but a lot of the smaller stuff (and ground stuff) can be redneck engineered; and this version of the taliban has set up their own Special Forces units:
A.) Badr 313 --- named after the battle of Badr, where Mohammed had 313 men.
B.) Red Unit (Sara Kheta) -- per Wiki:
The Red Unit, which numbered approximately 300 by 2016, reportedly employs commando tactics and is equipped with "advanced weaponry", including night vision equipment, heavy machine guns and M4 carbines.[10][11] Members have been seen during photo ops to be carrying Icom IC-V8 VHF radios.[12] They are known to be especially proficient in night combat, and considered to be better trained and equipped than most Afghan National Army soldiers.[7]
Though generally called the Taliban's special forces[1] or commandos,[3] analysts have argued that the Red Unit was probably not performing traditional special operations missions, but were, instead, being used as shock troops or a rapid deployment force.[2][8][13] Moving on motorcycles, the unit often raids isolated outposts, destroying the local defences, and then retreating before other forces can respond.[7] The Red Unit often spearheads Taliban offensives,[14] as it has proven to be very effective in combat. Nevertheless, its equipment and training are inferior to those of Western special forces
So expect those:
162,000~ pieces of communications equipment
16,000~ pieces of Night Vision Equipment
to be used in expanding Badr 313/Red Unit to larger formation sizes in the short term; and in the long term, being cannibalized for spares -- and they have enough to keep it going for a while.