World Photos: Tanks, helicopters artillery: see what the U.S. left behind in Afghanistan

When Taliban fighters rode triumphantly into Kabul airport early Tuesday, they did so on U.S. pickup trucks, wearing American-made uniforms and brandishing American M4 and M16 rifles. Then they spent hours examining the bonanza of materiel that U.S. troops unintentionally bequeathed them in what had been the U.S.' last redoubt in Afghanistan.

© Provided by The LA Times Taliban fighters from the Fateh Zwak unit, wielding American supplied weapons, equipment and uniforms, storm into the Kabul International Airport to secure the airport and inspect the equipment that was left behind after the U.S. Military have completed their withdrawal, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

The group’s blindingly fast sweep through most of Afghanistan netted it billions of dollars' worth of U.S. military equipment and weaponry given to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces, which collapsed in the 11 days before the Taliban seized Kabul, the capital, on Aug. 15. Afghan soldiers who didn’t surrender shed their uniforms and gear and turned tail, following many of their military and political leaders.

California school district says roughly 27 students stuck in Afghanistan after evacuation ends

Approximately 27 students from the San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento, California are stuck in Afghanistan.The San Juan Unified School District said the students come from 19 families, though the number of students left in Afghanistan continues to fluctuate as more information comes in.

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) A Taliban fighter raises the movementOs flag as they take a tour of the military assets that were left behind on the military airbase side of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in the wake of the American forces completing their withdrawal from the country in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

“This is ghaneema,” said one uniformed Taliban fighter: war booty. With a gloved hand, he snapped up the night-vision goggles on his ballistic helmet, looking like the very model of an Afghan soldier the U.S. had tried to help create to eliminate people like him. He walked inside a hangar and gawked with his squad mates at the U.S. Embassy helicopters gleaming under powerful overhead lights.

Poland, Belgium end Afghan evacuation as clock ticks down

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland and Belgium ended their evacuations from Afghanistan, but other European nations vowed Wednesday to press on for as long as possible, as the clock ticks down on a dramatic airlift of people fleeing Taliban rule ahead of a full American withdrawal. President Joe Biden said he will stick to his Aug. 31 deadline for completing the U.S. pullout, as the Taliban insisted he must, ramping up pressure on the already risky operation to fly people out of Kabul. © Provided by Associated Press Hundreds of people gather near an evacuation control checkpoint outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug.

For their effort, Taliban fighters reaped almost 2,000 Humvees and trucks; more than 50 armored fighting vehicles, including Mine-Resistant Ambush Protection vehicles, or MRAPs; scores of artillery and mortar pieces; more than a dozen aging but working helicopters and attack aircraft; a dozen tanks; seven Boeing-manufactured drones; and millions upon millions of bullets, according to a list compiled by the Oryx Blog, which tracks weapons used in conflicts.

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Taliban fighters stand ready as the militant group secure the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in the wake of the American forces completing their withdrawal from the country in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Taliban fighters take control of the air traffic control tower and secure the Hamid Karzai International Airport, along with all the equipment and weapons left behind after the full U.S. military withdrawal from the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

© (Marcus Yam/Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Taliban fighters patrol the perimeter outside the U.S. military controlled part of the airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Marcus Yam/Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Taliban fighters line up to show off their weapons and their force, as they control access to the Abbey Gate and make Afghans with travel documents wait in congregate under the sun before proceeding, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Taliban fighters patrol around the civilian terminal of the Hamid Karzai International Airport, after the full U.S. military withdrawal from the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Barbwire left behind across the tarmac after the United States Military had completely withdrawn from the country and Taliban fighters have moved in to take control of HKIA, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Taliban fighters patrol the tarmac after the United States Military have completely withdrawn from the country and Taliban fighters moved in to take control of Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Vehicles sit parked and covered in barb wires to create a perimeter around the civilian terminals sit abandoned now that the American forces have completed their withdrawal from the country and Taliban fighters moved in to secure the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Military vehicles sit abandoned on the tarmac after in the wake of the American forces completing their withdrawal from the country and Taliban fighters seizing and securing the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

© (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Taliban fighters patrol the perimeter outside the U.S. military controlled part of the airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.