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US lawmakers concerned Taliban may grab military gear after withdrawal
US Brigadier General Matthew Trollinger, deputy director of politico-military affairs for the Joint Staff, told Senate lawmakers during a hearing on Afghanistan that US military equipment could end up in the hands of Taliban fighters and terrorist groups.
When pressed for a guarantee that enemy fighters in the region won’t steal some of the abandoned and gifted military equipment, Trollinger said “there aren’t any guarantees.”
But officials said they are using the time left until the pullout is completed to minimize that threat, while doing as much as they can to leave Afghan partners with tools to continue the fight.
“We will be transferring facilities, some vehicles and other equipment that the Afghan national defense forces can utilize in their ongoing efforts to secure the country,” said Trollinger.
“We will be retrograding equipment that we’re able to bring back to bases and stations in the continental United States as well as elsewhere, and then we’ll be disposing of equipment that essentially is either obsolete, inoperable or legally we’re not able to transfer to Afghanistan.”
This comes amid concerns from a number of Senate Armed Services Committee members who questioned the security state of Afghanistan once the US has withdrawn from Afghanistan.
Earlier this week, CENTCOM officials said the drawdown is between 13 percent and 20 percent complete.
David Helvey, acting assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific affairs, said military leaders are working closely to try and prevent logistics breakdowns with the Afghan security forces.
“We’re going to continue to maintain contact with our partners to determine what we can from outside the country, and maintain good situational awareness of their current capabilities,” he said.
“And we’re looking at any areas where they may be challenged and we may be able to help them.”
But he acknowledged that “corruption is a problem in Afghanistan” and that securing any functional equipment left behind will be a challenge.
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Continued aid to Afghanistan vital for regional security: Kazakh president
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has emphasized the continuation of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, stating that the ongoing provision of such aid plays an important role in ensuring regional security.
Speaking at the international conference “Peace and Trust” in Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, Tokayev described addressing complex humanitarian challenges and the reconstruction of Afghanistan as a necessity.
“To ensure regional security, we consider it essential to continue providing assistance to Afghanistan, including by strengthening international efforts to address complex humanitarian issues and the reconstruction of this country. Kazakhstan remains committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan through humanitarian aid, educational projects, trade development, and food security initiatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, experts believe that sustainable improvement of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan requires broad cooperation from the international community and support for the country’s economic development.
“Investment can be defined as one of the fundamental drivers of the economic cycle, and whenever Afghan traders do not take their money out of the country and instead invest domestically, it naturally leads to greater growth and dynamism in Afghanistan’s economy,” said Abdul Zahoor Modabber, an economic analyst.
As the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan continues, reports by international relief organizations indicate that millions of citizens of the country are in urgent need of food, health, and livelihood assistance.
The reduction in funding for aid organizations, the impacts of climate change, and the return of migrants have increased concerns about a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the country.
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Islamic Emirate declines to attend Tehran meeting on Afghanistan
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Sirajuddin Haqqani: A government that intimidates its people is not a true government
Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, said during a visit to Khost province on Friday that any government which rules through fear cannot be considered a true government.
“A government is one that is loved by its people, one that serves them with respect and compassion, and from whose behavior people learn ethics and sincerity,” he said.
Haqqani also stressed that Afghans who opposed the Islamic Emirate in the past should be tolerated and treated in a way that helps eliminate hostility and animosity, paving the way for national cohesion.
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