IAF secretly airlifted weapons to Afghanistan: Pakistan media
Source: The Week
The news that the Indian government had evacuated around 50 diplomats and security staff from the consulate in Kandahar, Afghanistan, dominated national headlines for much of Sunday. The staff were evacuated by Indian Air Force aircraft as fighting raged near the city between Afghan government forces and the Taliban.
On Sunday, Pakistani media outlets reported that India dispatched transport aircraft with ammunition for Afghan government forces.
“Two C-130 planes of India landed in Afghanistan on 10 and 11 July to airlift their team of diplomats in Kandahar. The planes on July 10 dropped 40 tonnes of ammunition of 122-mm cannon and delivered the same consignment the next day…,” The News International reported.
The Express Tribune reported, “Another IAF C-17 aircraft arrived at Kabul Airfield at about 5pm on Sunday to dispatch another 40 tons of 122mm artillery shells consignment. These aircraft, which had departed from Jaipur and Chandigarh, were also used to evacuate Indian officials… Trucks loaded with Indian weapons were also seen on the roads of Kabul.”
Interestingly, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), a state-run media outlet, shared an image of what appeared to be a flight plan for an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft. “A senior Pakistani security official confirmed reports that the Indian Air Force C17 Globemaster aircraft were being used to evacuate staff from Kandahar and Kabul to Hindon Air Force Station, in Uttar Pradesh, India. The Indian aircraft have to use longer air routes to avoid Pakistan air space,” APP reported.
The Afghan National Army uses artillery guns that have a calibre of 122mm.
