A detailed CNN report revealed a paradoxical crisis on Pakistan’s western frontier. American-made weapons, abandoned during the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan, are now being used by militants to stall Washington’s bid for critical minerals. Regions like Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan hold an estimated $8 trillion in untapped reserves of copper, lithium, and cobalt, resources the U.S. desperately needs to break China’s monopoly on green-tech supply chains.
How TTP and BLA are using US weapons to Sabotage Pakistan
The US wants critical minerals, but militants with American weapons stand in the way. CNN confirms what Pakistan has warned for years: abandoned US weapons from Afghanistan are now fueling terrorism in Pakistan’s… pic.twitter.com/R2ihfyC0Lw
— Umair Aslam (@Defense785) February 4, 2026
The report highlights a “tactical shift” in the insurgency. Militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) are now equipped with advanced M-4 and M-16 rifles, thermal optics, and night-vision gear. Military doctors in Peshawar report a surge in precision sniper wounds, replacing the primitive IED injuries of previous decades. This superior firepower has turned mineral-rich zones into active frontlines, directly threatening projects like Reko Diq, which recently secured $1.25 billion in U.S. EXIM Bank financing.
You May Like To Read: Security Surge: Pakistan Deploys Airpower to End Deadly Balochistan Standoff
The irony is stark: the very tools intended to arm the Afghan National Army are now the primary obstacles to American economic interests. While the Pakistani military has declared securing these “mineral belts” a top priority, analysts warn that as long as the multi-billion dollar “black market” for abandoned U.S. arms thrives in Afghanistan, large-scale mining operations will remain high-risk, high-casualty ventures.
Check out our latest video:
