8am: One analysis suggests that given the developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, Western powers, especially the U.S., may be seeking to exploit al-Qaeda and other Central Asian militant groups to undermine Russian interests. After the September 11 attacks, the U.S. significantly weakened al-Qaeda and eliminated many of its senior leaders, but it either did not
Afghanistan International: The New York Times has reported that Trump assassination suspect Ryan Wesley Routh said last year that he was looking to recruit former Afghan troops to fight in Ukraine. “We can probably purchase some passports through Pakistan, since it’s such a corrupt country,” Routh had said. On Sunday, media outlets reported a shooting
Tolo News: An investigative report in the New Yorker magazine, a partner piece to the In the Dark podcast, which looked into possible American war crimes committed in Afghanistan and Iraq after September 11, 2001, maintains that the “military-justice system rarely punishes perpetrators.” The investigation said of 781 cases perpetrated against over 1,800 victims, at
VOA News: In the following interview, McCaul accuses White House officials of “stonewalling” the investigation and mentions his September 3 decision to subpoena Secretary of State Antony Blinken for testimony even though findings of the full report were released Monday. “We’re still not finished with the investigation,” McCaul told VOA on Tuesday. Click here to
Afghanistan International: On Wednesday, US Representative Tim Burchett introduced a bill to the House of Representatives calling for US support of the “Vienna Process,” which involves the National Resistance Front and other anti-Taliban groups. The bill urges the United States and other nations to participate in the Vienna meetings. Several anti-Taliban groups, including the National
8am: The security and intelligence gaps created by the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan and the extensive presence of active terrorist and radical Islamic groups under their umbrella represent a significant and growing threat. This environment has created a remarkable opportunity for international terrorist organizations, including ISIS-K, al-Qaeda, and TTP, to strengthen and expand their operations.
Khaama: The House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman, Michael McCaul, has criticized the U.S. Department of State for its failure to prepare a proper evacuation plan. Despite the Taliban’s capture of Kabul, the department was unprepared for the evacuation process. After two years of investigation, McCaul’s committee released a 300-page report detailing the American withdrawal from
8am: It is true that the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan lacks support from Moscow and Tehran and is aware of their weaknesses and limitations. However, if given a long-term choice, it would prefer them over the U.S., even though it understands that Washington could play an influential role in transitioning Afghanistan from Taliban rule
The Dispatch: In February 2020, the Trump administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban, known as the Doha Agreement. At that time, the Taliban was not the government of Afghanistan—but Trump believed that the jihadist militia would defeat the government in Kabul, eventually, and wasn’t interested in doing what it would take to prevent that.
Khaama: Officials from the Central Bank of Afghanistan have announced that over the past year, the currency’s value has increased by 17.25% against the U.S. dollar. However, the World Bank had previously warned that starting in 2024, the value of the Afghan currency is expected to decline against all major currencies. The ongoing instability of