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Amid the ongoing withdrawal of U.S. and other foreign troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban has negotiated takeovers of at least twenty-six of the Afghan government forces’ bases and outposts since May 1, often offering to spare lives in exchange for surrender, the New York Times reports.
The takeovers happened in four provinces. Four occurred at district centers that previously housed local officials. In recent weeks, six thousand families have fled their homes (VOA) due to heavy fighting between the Taliban and government forces, a spokesperson for Afghanistan’s refugee agency said. North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) chief Jens Stoltenberg told the Associated Press that the alliance will continue to provide civilian advice to Afghan ministers, funds for security forces, and support for ongoing peace talks. A Taliban statement today warned of consequences (TOLOnews) if the United States maintains a military presence in the region, especially in Pakistan. |
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| Analysis |
| “A big test is coming on the battlefield in Afghanistan. It will be decided by Afghans. But through rapid, highly visible actions, the United States and its partners can still do what they can to shore up Afghan morale and leadership—and to convince the Taliban to negotiate,” James Cunningham, Ronald E. Neumann, Hugo Llorens, Earl Anthony Wayne, and Richard Olson write for the Atlantic Council.
“The United States might be closing the military chapter of its relationship with Afghanistan, but it cannot close the book altogether—especially after helping Afghan women and youth to connect with the world and internalize the value of democracy and the possibility of choosing their future,” the New York University Center for Global Affairs’ Rina Amiri writes for Foreign Affairs.
This Backgrounder looks at the Taliban in Afghanistan. |
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