8am: Michael McCaul, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives, has stated that the Taliban have never severed their ties with Al-Qaeda and are currently fighting against “ISIS-K as part of an internal struggle for power.” In a press release issued on Monday, October 2nd, the Committee reported McCaul’s remarks: “If the Taliban were truly upholding their counterterrorism obligations, they would work to defeat Al-Qaeda instead of paying, protecting, and employing them.” McCaul emphasized that the Taliban’s war against the ISIS-K does not adhere to the Doha Agreement but rather serves the purpose of preserving their internal authority. According to him, the Biden administration has attempted “to downplay the Taliban’s terrorist activity.” Click here to read more (external link).