The al-Qaida extremist group has grown slightly inside Afghanistan since US forces left in late August, and the country’s new Taliban leaders are divided over whether to fulfill their 2020 pledge to break ties with the group, the top US commander in the region said Thursday.

Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the departure of US military and intelligence assets from Afghanistan has made it much harder to track al-Qaida and other extremist groups inside Afghanistan.

“We’re probably at about 1 or 2 percent of the capabilities we once had to look into Afghanistan,” he said, adding that this makes it “very hard, not impossible” to ensure that neither al-Qaida nor the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate can pose a threat to the United States.

Speaking at the Pentagon, McKenzie said it’s clear that al-Qaida is attempting to rebuild its presence inside Afghanistan, which was the base from which it planned the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the United States. He said some militants are coming into the country through its porous borders, but it is hard for the US to track numbers.

The US invasion that followed the September&nbsp;11 attacks led to a 20-year war that succeeded initially by removing the Taliban from power but ultimately failed. After President Joe Biden announced in April that he was withdrawing completely from Afghanistan, the Taliban systematically overpowered Afghan government defenses and seized Kabul, the capital, in August.

McKenzie and other senior US military and national security officials had said before the US withdrawal that it would complicate efforts to keep a lid on the al-Qaida threat, in part because of the loss of on-the-ground intelligence information and the absence of a US-friendly government in Kabul. The US says it will rely on airstrikes from drones and other aircraft based beyond Afghanistan’s borders to respond to any extremist threats against the US homeland.

McKenzie said no such strikes have been conducted since the US completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 30. He added that America’s ability to conduct such strikes is based on the availability of intelligence, overhead imagery and other information and communications, “and that architecture is still being developed right now.”

Al-Qaida is among numerous extremist groups inside Afghanistan. After 2001, it lost most of its numbers and its ability to directly threaten US territory, but McKenzie said it retains “an aspirational desire” to attack the United States. During their first period of rule in Kabul, from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban gave haven to al-Qaida and refused Washington’s demand after 9/11 to expel the group and turn over its leader, Osama bin Laden. The Taliban and al-Qaida have maintained ties ever since.

“So we’re still trying to sort out exactly how the Taliban is going to proceed against them, and I think over the month or two it’ll become a little more apparent to us,” he said.

Similarly, McKenzie said it’s not yet clear how strongly Taliban will go after the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, which has violently attacked the Taliban across the country. The United States blamed ISIS for an Aug. 26 suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed 13 American service members in the final days of the US evacuation.

ISIS was “reinvigorated,” McKenzie said, by the release of numerous ISIS fighters from Afghan prisons in mid-August. He said both ISIS and al-Qaida are recruiting from inside and outside Afghanistan.

“So certainly we should expect a resurgent ISIS. It would be very surprising if that weren’t the case,” he said, adding, “It remains to be seen that the Taliban are going to be able to take effective action against them.”

He called al-Qaida a more difficult problem for the Taliban because of their longstanding ties.

“So I think there are internal arguments inside the Taliban about the way forward,” he said. “What we would like to see from the Taliban would be a strong position against al-Qaida,” which they promised as part of the February 2020 Doha agreement that committed the United States to fully withdrawing from Afghanistan. “But I don’t believe that’s yet been fully realized.”

McKenzie declined to provide an estimate of the number of al-Qaida operatives inside Afghanistan.

“I think it’s probably slightly increased,” he said. “There’s a presence. We thought it was down pretty small, you know, toward the end of the conflict. I think some people have probably come back in. But it’s one of the things we look at, but I wouldn’t be confident giving you a number right now.”

The al-Qaida extremist group has grown slightly inside Afghanistan since US forces left in late August, and the country’s new Taliban leaders are divided over whether to fulfill their 2020 pledge to break ties with the group, the top US commander in the region said Thursday.

The al-Qaida extremist group has grown slightly inside Afghanistan since US forces left in late August, and the country’s new Taliban leaders are divided over whether to fulfill their 2020 pledge to break ties with the group, the top US commander in the region said Thursday. Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of US Central Command, said in an interview with The Associated Press that the departure of US military and intelligence assets from Afghanistan has made it much harder to track al-Qaida and other extremist groups inside Afghanistan. “We’re probably at about 1 or 2 percent of the capabilities we once had to look into Afghanistan,” he said, adding that this makes it “very hard, not impossible” to ensure that neither al-Qaida nor the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate can pose a threat to the United States. Speaking at the Pentagon, McKenzie said it’s clear that al-Qaida is attempting to rebuild its presence inside Afghanistan, which was the base from which it planned the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks against the United States. He said some militants are coming into the country through its porous borders, but it is hard for the US to track numbers. The US invasion that followed the September 11 attacks led to a 20-year war that succeeded initially by removing the Taliban from power but ultimately failed. After President Joe Biden announced in April that he was withdrawing completely from Afghanistan, the Taliban systematically overpowered Afghan government defenses and seized Kabul, the capital, in August. McKenzie and other senior US military and national security officials had said before the US withdrawal that it would complicate efforts to keep a lid on the al-Qaida threat, in part because of the loss of on-the-ground intelligence information and the absence of a US-friendly government in Kabul. The US says it will rely on airstrikes from drones and other aircraft based beyond Afghanistan’s borders to respond to any extremist threats against the US homeland. McKenzie said no such strikes have been conducted since the US completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan on Aug. 30. He added that America’s ability to conduct such strikes is based on the availability of intelligence, overhead imagery and other information and communications, “and that architecture is still being developed right now.” Al-Qaida is among numerous extremist groups inside Afghanistan. After 2001, it lost most of its numbers and its ability to directly threaten US territory, but McKenzie said it retains “an aspirational desire” to attack the United States. During their first period of rule in Kabul, from 1996 to 2001, the Taliban gave haven to al-Qaida and refused Washington’s demand after 9/11 to expel the group and turn over its leader, Osama bin Laden. The Taliban and al-Qaida have maintained ties ever since. “So we’re still trying to sort out exactly how the Taliban is going to proceed against them, and I think over the month or two it’ll become a little more apparent to us,” he said. Similarly, McKenzie said it’s not yet clear how strongly Taliban will go after the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, which has violently attacked the Taliban across the country. The United States blamed ISIS for an Aug. 26 suicide bombing at Kabul airport that killed 13 American service members in the final days of the US evacuation. ISIS was “reinvigorated,” McKenzie said, by the release of numerous ISIS fighters from Afghan prisons in mid-August. He said both ISIS and al-Qaida are recruiting from inside and outside Afghanistan. “So certainly we should expect a resurgent ISIS. It would be very surprising if that weren’t the case,” he said, adding, “It remains to be seen that the Taliban are going to be able to take effective action against them.” He called al-Qaida a more difficult problem for the Taliban because of their longstanding ties. “So I think there are internal arguments inside the Taliban about the way forward,” he said. “What we would like to see from the Taliban would be a strong position against al-Qaida,” which they promised as part of the February 2020 Doha agreement that committed the United States to fully withdrawing from Afghanistan. “But I don’t believe that’s yet been fully realized.” McKenzie declined to provide an estimate of the number of al-Qaida operatives inside Afghanistan. “I think it’s probably slightly increased,” he said. “There’s a presence. We thought it was down pretty small, you know, toward the end of the conflict. I think some people have probably come back in. But it’s one of the things we look at, but I wouldn’t be confident giving you a number right now.”

In Afghanistan, the al-Qaida extremist group has grown slightly: US Army General

&nbsp;The United States is likely just weeks away from starting the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-backed-syrian-fighters-close-in-on-last-islamic-state-held-area-in-eastern-syria-196469">withdrawal of ground troops from Syria</a> ordered by President Donald Trump, the top US commander overseeing American forces in the Middle East said on Sunday.

US Army General Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command, cautioned that the exact timing would depend on the situation in Syria, where US-backed fighters have launched a final assault against Islamic State enclaves near the Iraqi border.

The US military has already started withdrawing equipment from Syria. Asked whether the withdrawal of America's more than 2,000 troops would begin in days or weeks, Votel said: "Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground."

"In terms of the withdrawal ... I think we're right on track with where we wanted to be," Votel told reporters travelling with him during a trip to the Middle East.

"Moving people is easier than moving equipment and so what we're trying to do right now is again (to) kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need."

Trump's surprise announcement in December that he was withdrawing American troops from Syria helped trigger the resignation of his defence secretary, Jim Mattis, and sent US&nbsp;military officials scrambling to construct a withdrawal plan that preserves as many gains as possible.

Hundreds of additional troops have been sent to Syria to facilitate the withdrawal.

US officials have long estimated that the Syria pullout could take until sometime in March or April to execute fully, but have been reluctant to set an exact timeline given hard-to-predict battlefield conditions.

Votel did not speculate about when the drawdown would be completed.

IRAQ TROOPS STEADY

One big question has been whether some US forces in Syria might move to neighbour Iraq, where the United States has more than 5,000 troops helping Baghdad fight Islamic State and prevent the group's resurgence.

Votel said he did not believe the United States would broadly increase overall troop numbers in Iraq. He did leave open the possibility of changing the composition of forces to help the United States keep pressure on the militant group.

Referring to future US troop levels in Iraq, Votel said: "I think it's going to remain more or less steady."

"This isn't just wholesale -- 'Everybody in Syria move over to Iraq.' That doesn't make sense," Votel said.

Votel is one of many current and former US officials who have warned of the risk of a resurgence by Islamic State unless the United States and its allies can keep pressure on the group following the US withdrawal. They say Islamic State still has enough leaders, fighters, facilitators and financial resources to fuel a menacing insurgency.

But a clear US plan on how to keep up the pressure has yet to be articulated. It is also unclear whether the United States will be able to satisfy the security concerns in Syria of its NATO ally Turkey without sacrificing the interests of US-backed Kurdish fighters there.

Ankara sees the Kurdish militia as terrorists.

Washington views the Kurdish militia as loyal partners in the fight against Islamic State, whose help will likely continue to be needed to prevent the group's resurgence.

The Pentagon's own internal watchdog released a report last week warning about the risks still posed by Islamic State. It cautioned that absent sustained pressure, the group would likely resurge in Syria within six to 12 months and retake some limited territory.

A UN report seen by Reuters last week estimated there are up to 18,000 Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, including up to 3,000 foreign fighters. It warned the group was interested in attacking aviation and using chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials.

The United States is likely just weeks away from starting the withdrawal of ground troops from Syria ordered by President Donald Trump, the top US commander overseeing American forces in the Middle East said on Sunday.

The United States is likely just weeks away from starting the withdrawal of ground troops from Syria ordered by President Donald Trump, the top US commander overseeing American forces in the Middle East said on Sunday. US Army General Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command, cautioned that the exact timing would depend on the situation in Syria, where US-backed fighters have launched a final assault against Islamic State enclaves near the Iraqi border. The US military has already started withdrawing equipment from Syria. Asked whether the withdrawal of America's more than 2,000 troops would begin in days or weeks, Votel said: "Probably weeks. But again, it will all be driven by the situation on the ground." "In terms of the withdrawal ... I think we're right on track with where we wanted to be," Votel told reporters travelling with him during a trip to the Middle East. "Moving people is easier than moving equipment and so what we're trying to do right now is again (to) kind of clear out those materials, that equipment, that we do not need." Trump's surprise announcement in December that he was withdrawing American troops from Syria helped trigger the resignation of his defence secretary, Jim Mattis, and sent US military officials scrambling to construct a withdrawal plan that preserves as many gains as possible. Hundreds of additional troops have been sent to Syria to facilitate the withdrawal. US officials have long estimated that the Syria pullout could take until sometime in March or April to execute fully, but have been reluctant to set an exact timeline given hard-to-predict battlefield conditions. Votel did not speculate about when the drawdown would be completed. IRAQ TROOPS STEADY One big question has been whether some US forces in Syria might move to neighbour Iraq, where the United States has more than 5,000 troops helping Baghdad fight Islamic State and prevent the group's resurgence. Votel said he did not believe the United States would broadly increase overall troop numbers in Iraq. He did leave open the possibility of changing the composition of forces to help the United States keep pressure on the militant group. Referring to future US troop levels in Iraq, Votel said: "I think it's going to remain more or less steady." "This isn't just wholesale -- 'Everybody in Syria move over to Iraq.' That doesn't make sense," Votel said. Votel is one of many current and former US officials who have warned of the risk of a resurgence by Islamic State unless the United States and its allies can keep pressure on the group following the US withdrawal. They say Islamic State still has enough leaders, fighters, facilitators and financial resources to fuel a menacing insurgency. But a clear US plan on how to keep up the pressure has yet to be articulated. It is also unclear whether the United States will be able to satisfy the security concerns in Syria of its NATO ally Turkey without sacrificing the interests of US-backed Kurdish fighters there. Ankara sees the Kurdish militia as terrorists. Washington views the Kurdish militia as loyal partners in the fight against Islamic State, whose help will likely continue to be needed to prevent the group's resurgence. The Pentagon's own internal watchdog released a report last week warning about the risks still posed by Islamic State. It cautioned that absent sustained pressure, the group would likely resurge in Syria within six to 12 months and retake some limited territory. A UN report seen by Reuters last week estimated there are up to 18,000 Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, including up to 3,000 foreign fighters. It warned the group was interested in attacking aviation and using chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials.

Withdrawal of US forces in Syria likely to start in 'weeks': US army general

Afghan forces are suffering rising levels of battlefield casualties this year after unprecedented numbers of police and soldiers were killed and wounded in 2015, the top US commander in Afghanistan said.&nbsp; 
 
US Army General John Nicholson, in some of his first remarks since the United States last week scaled back its withdrawal plans, told a small group of reporters that the rising casualties were largely the result of Taliban attacks on fixed Afghan positions. 
 
&quot;This year, we&#39;re seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well,&quot; Nicholson said late on Saturday when asked about how Afghan forces were faring this year compared with 2015. He did not disclose figures. 
 
A spokesman told Reuters today that Nicholson was referring to an increase so far in 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, and noted how fighting was more intense due to the milder winter this year. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s when they&#39;re in a defensive posture, such as in checkpoints being overrun, is where the majority of the casualties are occurring,&quot; Nicholson said. 
 
More than 5,000 forces in Afghanistan were killed in action and over 14,000 were wounded in 2015, when the Taliban staged a series of attacks that upended US assumptions about the ability of Afghan forces to secure the country after more than 14 1/2 years of war. 
 
On July 6, US President Barack Obama scrapped plans to slash the number of US forces to 5,500 troops from 9,800 before he leaves office, citing precarious security in Afghanistan. 
 
Obama now plans to leave around 8,400 US troops. 
 
US allies are also renewing their commitments, and NATO agreed on Saturday to help fund Afghan forces to the tune of around $1 billion annually over the next three years. 
 
Nicholson praised Afghan forces for being able to recruit new fighters and carry on, despite the casualty rates. He said their losses could be addressed, including by replicating successful efforts to rapidly reset and retrain Afghan forces in southern Helmand province after their dismal performance last year. 
 
Major General Moeen Faqir, the new commander of the 215th Corps in Helmand, told reporters his casualties were sharply down this year from 2015. 
 
Nicholson also suggested the Afghan Taliban were struggling after the US killed their leader, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, in a May drone strike across the border in Pakistan. 
 
Mansour had tight control of Taliban finances, Nicholson said. 
 
&nbsp;&quot;So what we&#39;re seeing are some indications that some of the finances of the organisation have been disrupted,&quot; he said. 
 
Nicholson suggested Mansour&#39;s successor, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, had also alienated some fighters in the past. 
 
&quot;So he&#39;s not a unifying figure within that organisation,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)

'This year, we're seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well,' said US Army General

Afghan forces are suffering rising levels of battlefield casualties this year after unprecedented numbers of police and soldiers were killed and wounded in 2015, the top US commander in Afghanistan said. US Army General John Nicholson, in some of his first remarks since the United States last week scaled back its withdrawal plans, told a small group of reporters that the rising casualties were largely the result of Taliban attacks on fixed Afghan positions. "This year, we're seeing more tactical success (by the Afghans) on the battlefield but more casualties as well," Nicholson said late on Saturday when asked about how Afghan forces were faring this year compared with 2015. He did not disclose figures. A spokesman told Reuters today that Nicholson was referring to an increase so far in 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, and noted how fighting was more intense due to the milder winter this year. "It's when they're in a defensive posture, such as in checkpoints being overrun, is where the majority of the casualties are occurring," Nicholson said. More than 5,000 forces in Afghanistan were killed in action and over 14,000 were wounded in 2015, when the Taliban staged a series of attacks that upended US assumptions about the ability of Afghan forces to secure the country after more than 14 1/2 years of war. On July 6, US President Barack Obama scrapped plans to slash the number of US forces to 5,500 troops from 9,800 before he leaves office, citing precarious security in Afghanistan. Obama now plans to leave around 8,400 US troops. US allies are also renewing their commitments, and NATO agreed on Saturday to help fund Afghan forces to the tune of around $1 billion annually over the next three years. Nicholson praised Afghan forces for being able to recruit new fighters and carry on, despite the casualty rates. He said their losses could be addressed, including by replicating successful efforts to rapidly reset and retrain Afghan forces in southern Helmand province after their dismal performance last year. Major General Moeen Faqir, the new commander of the 215th Corps in Helmand, told reporters his casualties were sharply down this year from 2015. Nicholson also suggested the Afghan Taliban were struggling after the US killed their leader, Mullah Mohammad Akhtar Mansour, in a May drone strike across the border in Pakistan. Mansour had tight control of Taliban finances, Nicholson said. "So what we're seeing are some indications that some of the finances of the organisation have been disrupted," he said. Nicholson suggested Mansour's successor, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada, had also alienated some fighters in the past. "So he's not a unifying figure within that organisation," he said. (Reuters)

Afghan forces' casualties climbing in 2016, top US commander says

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In Afghanistan, the al-Qaida extremist group has grown slightly: US Army General

Withdrawal of US forces in Syria likely to start in 'weeks': US army general

Afghan forces' casualties climbing in 2016, top US commander says