Taliban fighters used US-made weapons and handcuffs to fight in the last Afghan province resisting its rule, report says

• The Taliban claimed control of Panjshir province on Monday.
• A Times of London reporter said fighters were using US-made rifles, Humvees, and machine guns.
• He also described seeing rebel prisoners being led away in US-made handcuffs.

Taliban fighters used weapons and handcuffs made in the US while fighting in the last Afghan province resisting their rule, The Times of London's Anthony Loyd reported.

The Taliban declared on Monday that they had taken control of Panjshir province - a claim that would cement their total control of Afghanistan - though a local resistance group named the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) denied the claim.

Reporting from Panjshir, Loyd said he witnessed one NRF prisoner being led away in handcuffs bearing the branding "Peerless Handcuff Company Springfield MA."

Loyd also reported seeing US weaponry used all over the province, including assault rifles, Humvees, and machine guns on the back of the Ford Ranger trucks.

It was not clear how the Taliban got access to those weapons and handcuffs.

The US military has now totally withdrawn from Afghanistan, per President Joe Biden's orders to be out before the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.

But the US military left behind a vast array of arms and transport, such as guns, Humvees, and scores of aircraft including C-130H transporter planes, four CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, an A-29 Super Tucanos, several MD-530 helicopters, and one Black Hawk helicopter.

Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, the head of US Central Command, said in late August that the US had "demilitarized" 150 vehicles and aircraft before leaving so they could not be used again.