The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’s defense ministry says it has repaired almost nearly 300 military vehicles that were trashed by the United States during its withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.

According to the defense ministry, the technical team at 205th Al Badar Army Corps has restored various types of military vehicles.

Following the withdrawal, the US Department of Defense released a report stating that the US left behind around $7 billion worth of military equipment that had been transferred to the Afghan government over the course of 16 years.

The equipment included aircraft, air-to-ground munitions, military vehicles, weapons, communications equipment, and other hardware.

Of the total equipment worth $18.6 billion given to the former Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) from 2005 to August 2021, equipment worth $7.12 billion remained in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal was completed on August 30, 2021.

The equipment left behind included over 40,000 of the total 96,000 military vehicles, 300,000 of the total 427,300 weapons, and nearly all-night vision, surveillance, biometric and positioning equipment, and explosive ordnance disposal and demining equipment.

Higher Education Minister Neda Mohammad Nadeem on Saturday said that strengthening of modern sciences is one of the obligations of the Islamic system, and emphasized that the Islamic Emirate has fulfilled its duties in this regard.

Speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate the new academic year at the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority, Nadeem said: “Emir of Muslims is obliged to present professional teachers to the society who can meet the worldly needs of the people.”

He also assured people they would provide transparent and equal educational services to all students and emphasized that they are working to improve the country’s education system.

“A person who enters the educational system and then graduates, succeeds based on merit. Connection, money and pressure do not work here. Everyone gets a post based on their skills,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, Gholam Haider Shahamat, head of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority, said they will soon sign a memorandum of understanding to cooperate with the National Development Authority.

The new academic year has started across Afghanistan, but girls are still barred from going to secondary schools and universities.

Rainstorms and flash floods have destroyed residential houses and farmlands in northern Afghanistan, provincial police spokesman Mohammad Asif Waziri said on Friday.

Heavy rains triggered destructive floods on Thursday evening, which partially damaged or utterly destroyed more than 300 houses and 3,000 acres of farmlands in Zari district of the northern Balkh province and its vicinity, Waziri told reporters, Xinhua news agency reported.

The floods also killed numerous cattle in Zari district and adjoining areas, the official said.

There is no report of casualties, the official said, adding that rescue teams have been sent to affected areas to help the affected families.

Heavy floods have also cut off the link between Qalat, capital of Zabul province, to seven districts in Afghanistan southern region.

Afghanistan’s meteorological department has reportedly predicted more rains and floods in 20 out of the country’s 34 provinces in the coming days.