The video comes just a week after footage posted to social media showed the Taliban’s failed attempts to take a stolen US Black Hawk chopper for a joyride
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Afghanistan: Taliban appear to fly Black Hawk helicopter
New footage shows the Taliban flying a captured Black Hawk helicopter while patrolling Kandahar, with the clip showing a soldier abseiling from the aircraft.
The video, which was shared on Twitter by the Talib Times, a page claiming to be the official news source for the Islamic Emirate, shows the $6million (£4.3m) helicopter hovering over the city.
The video was uploaded ahead of the withdrawal of US troops on Monday.
“Our Air Force! At this time, the Islamic Emirate’s air force helicopters are flying over Kandahar city and patrolling the city,” the accompanying tweet read.
The video comes just a week after footage posted to social media appeared to show the Taliban’s attempts to take a stolen US Black Hawk chopper for a joyride.
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Image:
Twitter)
However, the militant group appeared unable to get the aircraft off the ground.
It was not known if the militants had been trained to fly the helicopter or who was manning the controls.
The choppers, which cost around $21million each, arrived in Afghanistan along with thousands of the firearms, Humvees and light tactical vehicles, fairly recently.
The group has reportedly made off with up to £13bn worth of abandoned weapons and vehicles, including 200,000 firearms and 20,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or Humvees, taken from the Afghan army.
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Image:
Twitter)
Among the incredible haul are more than two million 7.62 bullets for AK47 assault rifles, worth over a million pounds – plus military vehicles. They have A-29 light attack aircraft worth £17 million and 100,000 70mm rockets.
US intelligence officials also fear that there are around 150 helicopters and planes for Taliban insurgents to use, including 45 UH-60 Black Hawk choppers.
There are concerns the weapons boost means the west faces increased attacks.
Colonel Richard Kemp, former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, recently told the Daily Mirror that Britain will face more terrorist attacks.
The US supplied hoards of equipment to the Afghan Army over the past few months, some of it remaining in Afghan control for only a matter of weeks before it fell into enemy hands, amid claims of widespread human rights breaches by the Taliban.
The Taliban’s distinctive white flags are frequently seen flying above the four-wheel drive military trucks which were donated to Afghan defence forces by the US.