蜜芽传媒

A lot has been written in the last few days about US and NATO troops leaving Afghanistan - and particularly Bagram airbase. But we're only now getting details of how it happened - and according to one journalist who's been investigating, it's very curious.

The Associated Press News Director for Pakistan and Afghanistan, Kathy Gannon, says the base's new commander told her he'd only found out they'd left - and took control there - about two hours after it had happened.

"They had shut off the electricity - it was programmed to turn off 20 minutes after their departure. So it literally plunged what is the size of a very small city into darkness which seemed to be a signal for what was a small army of looters who broke through the perimeters and helped themselves to items left behind."

(Photo: An Afghan soldier takes a selfie at the deserted Bagram airbase. Credit: AFP)