Taliban Administration Reduces Use of US-Made Ranger Vehicles to Cut Costs

The Taliban’s Ministry of Interior has announced that, in order to reduce fuel and maintenance costs, it has decreased the use of US-made Ranger vehicles, shifting its focus instead to motorcycles and some Toyota vehicles.

These Ranger vehicles were originally provided to Afghan police forces during the republic era, with repair, parts, and maintenance costs funded by the United States. After the Taliban returned to power, these vehicles were handed over to police and military forces affiliated with the Taliban administration.

Now, after nearly four years of Taliban rule, many of these vehicles require major repairs and replacement parts—components that are described as difficult and expensive to obtain in the region.

Security experts had previously warned that without access to sustainable financial resources and international technical support, the Taliban administration would face serious challenges in maintaining the equipment inherited from the previous regime. The reduction in Ranger vehicle usage is seen as a sign of the administration’s financial and technical limitations in managing its military and security assets.