In its first report submitted to the United States (US) Congress since Washington adopted a new strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia, the US Defence Department said that the Taliban and the Haqqani network are roaming free in Pakistan.
“Although Pakistani military operations have disrupted some militant sanctuaries, certain extremist groups such as the Taliban and the Haqqani network retains freedom of movement in Pakistan. The US continues to convey to all levels of Pakistani leadership the importance of taking action against all terrorist and extremist groups,” Tolo News quoted the report as saying.
The Pentagon also said that terrorist safe havens along the Durand Line and the presence of terrorists in Afghanistan are threatening the stability of the region.
“The Afghanistan-Pakistan border region remains a sanctuary for various groups, including al-Qaeda, al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), ISIS-K, and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Sanctuary on the Pakistani side and presence on the Afghan side remain security challenges for both countries and pose a threat to regional security and stability,” the report added.
The report said that Afghanistan was fighting militants who were being empowered from outside the country.
“Afghanistan continues to face an externally enabled and resilient insurgency. As Afghanistan completes its third year of full responsibility for the security of the country, Afghan forces have shown determination and growing capability in their fight against the Taliban-led insurgency,” the Pentagon report said.
However, Pakistan is not the only country criticised by the Pentagon report. The report is critical of Iran and Russia, saying that Russia is trying to weaken US’s efforts in Afghanistan. The report adds that Iran is damaging Afghanistan by backing the Taliban.
“Russia has security concerns regarding Afghanistan, citing terrorism and narco-trafficking concerns most vocally. Russian-Afghan relations suffered due to Russia’s public acknowledgment of communications with the Taliban and support of the Taliban’s call for coalition withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The report also said that Russia publicly called the new South Asia Strategy a ‘dead end’.
“During the reporting period, Russia continued to seek ways to undermine US influence in the region by disseminating false information about US objectives, engaging with the Taliban, and putting pressure on Central Asian neighbours to deny support to US and NATO efforts to stabilise Afghanistan.”
The report further said that, “Iran provides some support to the Taliban and publicly justifies its relationship with the Taliban as a means to combat the spread of ISIS-K in Afghanistan. Iran’s support to the Taliban undermines the Afghan government’s credibility, adds to instability in the region, and complicates strategic partnership agreements”.
When will Pakistan send back these Afghan refugees ? They are enemies of Afghanistan ! Send them back because these Afghan refugees are involved in killing Pakistanis as well !
Pentagon has some funny ways of placing the blame on other sides for its own failures. Let see take for example Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour. He had an Emirati Iqama for Dubai where he allegedly lived in comfort for months on without any check by US ally Dubai. He had been to Doha several times but nobody said anything even though Qatar is USCENTCOM HQ. His last journey took him to Iran via Emirates Airlines traveling Business class and from there he took a pick truck ride to Pakistan and was killed by US’s CIA drone…the question is why kill him in Pakistan when he could have been easily arrested in UAE and Qatar….
Is Pentagon blind, does not it know that Amit Shah who killed more than 2500 Muslims in Gujrat, Mohan Bhagwat who is lacing school kids with swords to fight Muslims, Sadvi who says that everyone in India will have to be converted into Hindu, all are roaming free in India.
Imagine the worlds mightiest fighting machine blaming for their military defeat in Afghanistan on Pakistan and Iran and now Russia. Can they once acknowledge their own failures
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