Nirendra Dev
One particular concern is that the Taliban has released hundreds of prisoners, including suspected Al-Qaeda operatives, across Afghanistan.
New Delhi: Once bitten, but the US cannot afford to be shy. In the coming months, the US Intelligence sleuths will get into much more aggressive stances and pro-active roles to keep an eye on ‘signs of recruitment’ by Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and nearby areas of Pakistan.
“As we are approaching 9/11, for them to be able to reclaim Afghanistan, think about what that does for recruitment,” says a CNN report quoting an unnamed US counterterrorism official.
The National Counterterrorism Center has noted in a recent report that terrorist groups from Pakistan to Syria have publicly celebrated US ‘defeat’ in Afghanistan.
One particular concern is that the Taliban has released hundreds of prisoners, including suspected Al-Qaeda operatives, across Afghanistan. Since the US withdrawal of forces and Taliban takeover, it is apprehended now that several senior Al Qaeda leaders who fled to other countries in the past could now return to Afghanistan.
In fact, days before the fall of Kabul, the US Department of Homeland has said that the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks could catalyze violence in the United States. In the long term, it is being perceived by all stakeholders that Afghanistan could eventually turn into a safe haven from which terrorists can recruit, train, launch attacks and also maintain ‘media operations’ (social media included) to “inspire” attacks in the United States.
On behalf of the US administration, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan has already said: “The threat…is something we are focused on with every tool in our arsenal”. In the wake of the withdrawal of US forces, it is already being suggested that the American establishment as of now faces a huge challenge to streamline and ‘fill’ the intelligence vacuum in Afghanistan.
Amid chaotic scenes at the Hamid Karzai International Airport at Aizawl, Taliban militants guard as hundreds of native Afghan men and women and children gather to flee the country.
Congressman Steve Chabot slams Pakistan
In his address to the virtual gala of the Hindu Political Action Committee, Congressman Steve Chabot, Co-Chair of the India Caucus, said that he applauds the Indian government for welcoming the Afghan religious minorities who have a good reason to fear persecution.
“In contrast, we all know that Pakistan, and particularly its intelligence services, played a key role in fostering the Taliban and allowing them to take over, eventually. It's just disgusting to watch Pakistani officials celebrate the victory of this group that will bring untold brutality to the Afghan people,” Chabot said.
“Pakistan''s own persecution of religious minorities, however, gets a lot less attention here in America than it deserves. We would do well to educate our fellow citizens about these abuses," he said, adding, persecution is particularly manifested in the heinous practise of kidnapping, forced conversion to Islam and forced marriage of underage Hindu girls to older Muslim men.
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