RASC News Agency: In its latest report, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has strongly rejected the Biden administration’s defense of the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. The administration had argued that the U.S. had achieved its core objective of dismantling al-Qaeda and ensuring that Afghanistan would no longer serve as a sanctuary for terrorist organizations. However, the committee’s findings sharply contradict this claim, revealing that three years after the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan has once again become a safe haven for terrorism. The country now harbors al-Qaeda, ISIS, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, and a host of other militant groups.
The report underscores that despite the death of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, the organization continues to expand its presence in Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda has reportedly established new training camps within the country and is reaping tens of millions of dollars from the control of mining operations in Badakhshan and Takhar provinces. The Taliban, for their part, are providing al-Qaeda commanders with whatever they require, including arms, women, housing, and official documents such as passports.
Furthermore, by April 2024, the Taliban is said to have opened at least 6,836 Madrassas, including 380 schools specifically for women. These institutions serve as channels for promoting the Taliban’s extremist ideology. The report also highlights the deep connection between the Haqqani network and ISIS-Khorasan, with some marriages reported between members of the two groups. A key ISIS figure, al-Muhajir, is noted to have previously been part of the Haqqani network.
Despite the growing influence of ISIS in the region, the Biden administration has reportedly not carried out any military strikes against the group’s positions in Afghanistan. The committee dismissed the Taliban’s claims of eliminating the ISIS threat, asserting that “the Taliban neither possess the intention nor the capability to destroy ISIS.” Over the past three years, the Taliban has used ISIS as a pretext to arrest and execute dozens of Afghanistani citizens, many of whom were political or military opponents.
