The Pentagon, for its part, proudly estimates that a few 350,000 Afghans serve in the ANSF, but it’s unclear how many of them are actually present on the ground, armed and ready to fight.
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The top USA military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Campbell told Congress this week that he has recommended to President Barack Obama that he keep more than 1,000 troops in the country beyond 2016.
The region affected by the insurgents’ surge borders the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan; the Taliban’s seizure of Kunduz cut off the lone highway linking Afghanistan with it. The insurgent force that assaulted the city included militants from Tajikistan, as well from Uzbekistan, another former Soviet republic. Subsequent events, if anything, have neutralized such expected fallout for the Taliban.
The offensive shows that the Taliban have maintained their military momentum under new chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor. “We have no announcements to make at this time”. Others gradually became neutral in the succession dispute. But what ensued dashed these hopes and was instrumental in a resurgent Taliban insurgency, active again by 2006. “We need partners to fight terrorists alongside us”. The city’s brief capture was one of the biggest victories of the “Islamic Emirates” in the 14-year insurgency.
Since the Taliban had swept into the strategic city and seized it on September 28, the MSF medical staff had treated 394 wounded people.
Until recently, the Taliban have been focusing more on rural areas. But much has changed in Afghanistan since that time, Campbell said. Campbell said the cost is declining each year, partly due to completed facilities projects. “I fully support his call for a continued USA presence in Afghanistan”.
Lawmakers have pressed for a decision soon, saying the United States’ North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies are looking to America to determine whether to leave their own troops in Afghanistan. And any jihadist group with safe haven in Afghanistan could destabilize nuclear-armed Pakistan, train for attacks against India and prepare attacks on the US homeland.
The reported proposals received a mixed reaction from Afghanistan-focused analysts in the US.
Thursday’s conversations touched on both funding and troop levels in Afghanistan beyond 2016, he added. Just as there are Afghan ghost schools, there also seem to be Afghan “ghost soldiers”.
Secretary General: What we have seen is a strong, increased military presence of Russian Federation in Syria. The Alliance has already stressed its solidarity with Turkey over the incursions. Hence, a renewed emphasis on retaining a large enough force in Afghanistan. Indeed, the Taliban have been testing coalition forces since the majority of troops left in 2014: They attacked Kunduz earlier this year and have captured several districts in northern Helmand province. Such is the dilemma of the current phase of the war in Afghanistan! This plan was announced by President Obama past year. His area of interest is South and West Asian politics, the foreign policies of major powers, and Pakistani politics.
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Salman Rafi Sheikh is a freelance journalist and research analyst of global relations and Pakistan affairs.
