Afghanistan receives first batch of Chinese military aid

Gabriel Dominguez, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

05 July 2016

A Russian cargo aircraft carrying military aid from China landed in Kabul military airport on 3 July in a move that reflects Beijing's willingness to deepen its engagement with Afghanistan.

Present at the first Chinese delivery of its kind to the Southwest Asian country were Afghanistan's national security adviser, Mohammad Hanif Atmar, and China's ambassador to Afghanistan, Yao Jing.

While Afghan authorities declined to provide details about the shipment for security reasons, several media outlets reported the cargo contained logistical equipment, parts of military vehicles, ammunition, and weapons.

The move comes just a few months after Beijing announced its willingness to expand military support for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).