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Intelligence believes that control of the Taliban would allow Al Qaeda to rebuild its ranks (France Press)
The New York Times reported on Friday that US intelligence agencies informed the administration of President Joe Biden that the Taliban could raze most of Afghanistan in two to three years, if US forces withdraw before the warring parties reach an agreement to share power.
The newspaper quoted US officials, whose names were not released, that such an invasion could allow al Qaeda to rebuild its ranks in Afghanistan.
Biden has yet to make a decision on whether to stick to the deadline for withdrawing 3,500 US troops from Afghanistan on May 1, based on the agreement the previous administration led by Donald Trump reached with the Taliban in February 2020.
The New York Times explained that some US officials supporting the maintenance of US forces in Afghanistan are using the intelligence report to push for the need to stay beyond the deadline.
The White House declined to comment. The newspaper said the classified report was prepared last year for presentation to the Trump administration.
Biden said in his first press conference at the White House on Thursday that it would be difficult to meet the deadline stipulated in the agreement, which also requires the departure of about 7,000 coalition forces. But the US president also said he “does not anticipate” the presence of US forces in Afghanistan next year.
On Friday, the Taliban threatened to resume fighting with foreign forces in Afghanistan if the deadline for their withdrawal was not met on May 1.
(Reuters)
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