Marine Corps Adm. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command.
President Joe Biden has announced the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, but the commander of U.S. Central Command said Tuesday (20) that he has “serious doubts” that the Taliban will fulfill its commitments after U.S. troops leave the country.
The impending withdrawal of foreign troops has raised fears that a full-scale civil war could break out in Afghanistan and could provide space for al-Qaida to rebuild and plan new attacks on U.S. and other targets.
A U.N. report in January said there were as many as 500 al-Qaida militants in Afghanistan and that the Taliban maintained close ties with the Islamic extremist group while denying the presence of al-Qaida in Afghanistan.
The Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001 and were ousted by U.S.-led NATO forces after the Sept. 11 attacks. Since then, they have waged a long-running insurgency, and large parts of the country remain under their control.
Marine Corps Adm. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, told a congressional House Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday that he has serious doubts about the Taliban’s integrity. It remains to be seen whether the Taliban will keep their promises, permanently sever ties with terrorist groups such as al Qaeda and ensure that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for extremist groups planning attacks on U.S. interests.
“If they want Afghanistan to have any kind of international recognition in the future …… they have to abide by the agreements they have made,” McKenzie said. He added that U.S. forces will still be able to observe the Taliban and verify their actions.
McKenzie said he will provide the defense secretary with a plan for establishing a counterterrorism force outside of Afghanistan by the end of the month. He cautioned that losing the current U.S. military network in Afghanistan, as well as its intelligence capabilities, would have future implications.
A senior White House official said Sunday that no one can provide assurances about the future of Afghanistan after U.S. troops leave, although he stressed that the United States will continue to focus on the threat from the country.
A U.S.-backed meeting between the Taliban and the Afghan government scheduled for April 24 in Turkey has been postponed until mid-May.
Senior Afghan government officials said the Istanbul meeting was not held on the designated date because the Taliban refused to attend.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said negotiations would be postponed until after the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, adding that participants in the meeting at that time were still not confirmed.
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