Scary: Taliban now have more air power than 30% of NATO countries

According to a preliminary balance of remaining combat tools, it is believed that jihadists now possess more air vehicles than 1/3th of NATO member states. By comparison, the Taliban are believed to own 48 combat air vehicles, while Albania is 19.

Over the past few months, the Taliban have taken over 10 air bases and on Wednesday have launched an operation with a Black Hawk helicopter, worth $6m, in the Panjshire Valley, where a group of Afghan resistance fighters is focused.

The Taliban leaders have reportedly instructed their pursuers to find all Afghan pilots of these military vehicles who have performed intensive training with United States soldiers and Allied countries. The most important plane seized by the Taliban was at Kabul Airport, a 14 million-dollar model of Hercules.

The Afghanistan Air Force had 167 aircraft, 108 helicopters and 59 planes in use, according to the latest inventory made by the US government on 30 June 2021. Before Kabul's fall, Uzbekistan confirmed that 22 planes and 24 helicopters had arrived in the country to avoid taking them from the Taliban. While American General Frank McKenzie said American troops had destroyed 73 planes and helicopters before leaving the country on Monday.