Thread: U.S. leaves its last Afghan base, effectively ending operations

The UK is concerned about the same issue.


Afghanistan: Six people posing ‘direct threat’ to UK detected among would-be Kabul evacuees

Four people on Britain’s ‘no-fly list’ were prevented from boarding planes, while one made it to Frankfurt before being intercepted, and one reached Birmingham



Security checks detected six people who were deemed to pose a “direct threat” to the UK among would-be evacuees from Kabul.

In a briefing call on Monday, MPs were told that the individuals who were on Britain’s “no-fly list” had attempted to leave Afghanistan with the help of the UK, Sky News reported.

A Border Force official said that four of the people had been prevented from flying in Kabul, but two had successfully boarded planes. One was stopped in Frankfurt where he was blocked from continuing his journey, but his family was permitted to proceed to the UK. The other reached Birmingham airport.

“We’ve had more hits on our no-fly list, that is people who are a direct threat to this country if they were able to come here, in the last week in the context of Afghanistan … than we would normally expect in a year of normal flights and travel,” said Kevin Foster, the Home Office minister.

He added that while the UK must help those who are in danger from the Taliban, the government must be “mindful” of people who pose a threat to the UK.

Afghanistan: Six people posing ‘direct threat’ to UK detected among would-be Kabul evacuees | The Independent

Nice catch . . . can't have been easy given the circumstances

Originally Posted by Neverna

Afghanistan: Six people posing ‘direct threat’ to UK detected among would-be Kabul evacuees

There's a lot to think about in those few words.
I wonder how they even got as far as Kabul airport. They must have had some UK papers, their own or from someone they murdered.
Then I wonder how they were detected. Probably in part at least using the same kind of facial recognition technology that we are so bothered about the Chinese using.
Then there is the question of how many made it through undetected. Even those not posing an active threat today will come to do so in the future as they are taken aside in the mosque and shown photos of family members left behind and told how lucky they are that the Taliban are looking after them and they are very safe, a safety which can be ensured with just a little cooperation.
There must be people in the security services who despair.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Set in concrete: In a first, Kabul builds $5m road via tough terrain to access China

Updated 23 May 2021

And hoohoo has caught up with the news.... from May.



I wonder if that's the road from which they will be shipping weapons to the Uighurs to allow them to defend themselves from the genocidal chinkies?

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

I wonder if that's the road from which they will be shipping weapons to the Uighurs to allow them to defend themselves from the genocidal chinkies?

No question that the Taliban will be going to it in defense of the Uighurs. If you think that they care about money, you are fucking kidding yourself. All that matters to them is a global jihad.

Taliban near Panjshir after retaking three northern Afghan districts

KABUL (Reuters): The Taliban were in position near the Panjshir valley and had retaken three districts in northern Afghanistan that fell to local militia groups last week, a spokesman said on Monday, though there were no confirmed reports of further fighting.


The districts of Bano, Deh Saleh, Pul e-Hesar in the northern province of Baghlan were taken by local militia groups last week in one of the first signs of armed resistance to the Taliban since their seizure of the capital Kabul on Aug. 15.


By Monday, Taliban forces had cleared the districts and were established in Badakhshan, Takhar and Andarab near the Panjshir valley, according to the Twitter account of spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.


Forces loyal to Ahmad Massoud, son of the late mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, have established themselves in his Panjshir stronghold, which resisted both the Soviets and the Taliban before 2001.


Massoud, whose forces include remnants of regular army and special forces units, has called for negotiations to form an inclusive government for Afghanistan but has promised to resist if Taliban forces try to enter the valley, north of Kabul.


Late on Sunday, the Taliban s Alemarah information service said hundreds of fighters were heading towards Panjshir. There has been no confirmation of any fighting, but an aide to Massoud said both sides were standing ready for military action.


Zabihullah Mujahid said the Salang Pass, on the main highway running from southern Afghanistan to the north, was open and enemy forces were blockaded in the Panjshir valley. But his statement suggested there was no fighting for the moment.


“The Islamic Emirate is trying to resolve the problems peacefully,” Zabihullah said.



https://thefrontierpost.com/taliban-...han-districts/

CSTO SG: Hotbeds of resistance to Taliban could lead to civil war


MOSCOW (TASS): Interaction between the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and NATO would be useful for localizing threats emanating from Afghanistan, but the alliance does not show readiness for such cooperation. This was stated on Monday at an online briefing by the CSTO Secretary General (SG) Stanislav Zas.


“If we talk about interaction with NATO, we have already expressed our readiness for quite a long time – and at the level of foreign ministers – to develop cooperation with NATO on all issues relevant to our organizations, threats, including Afghanistan. Unfortunately, on the part of states – NATO members have not shown such readiness. Therefore, now it makes no sense to talk about any steps here, “he said.” Although I still believe that such a dialogue and such interaction would only be beneficial in localizing those possible threats, which proceed from the situation in Afghanistan. “


At the same time, Zas emphasized that the issue of the possibility of deploying US troops on the territory of the CSTO countries neighboring Afghanistan requires approval, this topic is regulated by the organization’s charter. “In our country, this issue is regulated by the seventh article of the CSTO charter. All these issues, of course, should be discussed in the organization, and [should] be agreed upon,” the Secretary General of the organization said.


Zas also expressed concern that the emerging pockets of resistance to the Taliban (a terrorist organization banned in Russia) could lead to a long-term civil war in Afghanistan.


“There are fears that emerging pockets of resistance to the Taliban could lead to the development of a long-term civil war with unpredictable consequences for the security of not only Afghanistan, but also the surrounding large region,” he said. According to Zas, there are some positive statements by the Taliban leadership about approaches in their domestic and foreign policy. “At the same time, it is a matter of serious concern that the promises of representatives of the Taliban leadership to assist in the formation of a coalition government reflecting the aspirations and interests of all the nationalities of Afghanistan have not yet passed into the stage of practical implementation,” he stressed.


In this regard, the CSTO Secretary General continued. it is necessary to undertake efforts to “prevent further bloodshed in this country and establish a dialogue in order to prevent, among other things, an uncontrolled flow of refugees, the growth of propaganda of ideas of religious fundamentalism.”


Zas called on the parties to the intra-Afghan conflict to establish a dialogue and end the military confrontation in the northern provinces of Afghanistan. “Of course, we call for an end to this confrontation, the establishment of an intra-Afghan dialogue and the building of state power in Afghanistan, taking into account the interests of all nationalities and all societies living there. the Afghan people, and for the region as a whole. Therefore, everything must be done to avoid this confrontation, “he said.


Strengthening security


The leaders of the CSTO countries agreed on additional measures to strengthen security in connection with the situation in Afghanistan. This was stated on Monday at an online briefing by the CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas.


“In the course of today’s discussion, the need was expressed in connection with the current situation [in Afghanistan] and its deterioration to take additional measures to strengthen the security of the CSTO member states, primarily the Central Asian region,” he said after an extraordinary session of the CSTO Collective Security Council in connection with the current situation in Afghanistan.


According to the Secretary General, “specific proposals” were made at the session. “I would like to note that this year we have already passed some quotation of our activities in the CSTO, taking into account the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, including measures were taken to study the situation, clarify the situation in the Tajik-Afghan border area and develop proposals for responding to its changes “, – added Zas.


Zas said that the CSTO countries discussed possible responses to the situation in Afghanistan. “We had only one question on the agenda today – this is about the situation in Afghanistan and its impact on the security of the CSTO member states. of this country, respectively, and according to our possible measures of response to this situation, “he said.


“If we talk about the key points and conclusions that were voiced during the session, then, of course, it was noted that the rapid and unprepared withdrawal of US troops and coalition allies from Afghanistan, the degradation of the situation in Afghanistan increase security threats to the Central Asian region, and in the long term the prospect cannot be ruled out – international peace and stability, “Zas added.


Formation of a coalition government


Zas noted that the promises of the Taliban leadership to assist in the formation of a coalition government in Afghanistan have not yet passed the stage of implementation, this causes concern.


“There are some positive statements by the Taliban leadership about the approaches of their domestic and foreign policy. At the same time, it raises serious concern that the promises of representatives of the Taliban leadership to assist in the formation of a coalition government reflecting the aspirations and interests of all Afghan nationalities have not yet passed into the stage of practical implementation,” – he said.


Combating drug trafficking


According to Zas, the leaders of the CSTO member states hope that representatives of the Taliban will fight drug trafficking from Afghanistan.


“If now these promises [to reduce drug trafficking] are fulfilled, of course, we can only welcome this. We hope that they will be fulfilled,” he said, answering a question regarding the Taliban’s promise to stop drug trafficking from Afghanistan.


Zas also recalled the times when drug trafficking in the country was reduced, and noted that a different development of the current situation is possible if the Taliban leadership does not have other sources of income. “But I hope that the policy that the Taliban pursued in the fight against drugs will be implemented at the present time,” he said.


Refugees from Afghanistan


The CSTO countries plan to discuss issues related to refugees from Afghanistan at the next meeting of the Coordination Council for Combating Illegal Migration, Zas said.


“We have planned in the near future, literally after a while, to consider issues related to illegal migration and refugees from Afghanistan at a meeting of the Coordination Council for Combating Illegal Migration,” he said.


In addition, Zas noted that in November this year, at the exercises of the CSTO peacekeeping forces, it is planned to work out the issues of receiving refugees. “I believe that all these measures will serve as a deterrent in this region and will, of course, increase the readiness of our organization to localize or suppress possible threats that may arise due to the deterioration of the situation in this region,” he added.


Joint statement


The CSTO countries at an extraordinary session agreed to develop a joint statement on the situation in Afghanistan at the level of foreign ministers in the near future, Zas said.


“Today, during the discussion, the heads of our states expressed the following idea that it is necessary to form an agreed position of the CSTO in a short time on the situation that is now developing in Afghanistan and around Afghanistan. We will carry out such work in the near future. At the session [of the CSTO Council], which will be held on September 15-16 [September], we will prepare a joint statement at the level of foreign ministers on the situation in Afghanistan, in which the consolidated position of all our states will be expressed, “Zas said.


Zas said that the leaders of the CSTO member states noted the need to join efforts with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Afghanistan.


“Of course, today the need was noted for interaction with other international organizations, primarily with the SCO, on the topic of Afghanistan,” he said.


According to him, the participation of Uzbekistan in the extraordinary session of the CSTO Collective Security Council suggests that the organization’s partners are ready to discuss the situation in Afghanistan and possibly even coordinate their actions. The session was held by videoconference under the chairmanship of President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon. The decision to hold it was made against the background of recent events in Afghanistan. The leaders discussed issues of ensuring the security of the CSTO member states in the context of events in this country.


Earlier, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said at an extraordinary session of the CSTO Collective Security Council that he did not rule out plans to deploy armed contingents of the American army in Afghanistan’s neighboring countries, including those in the CSTO.


CSTO SG: Hotbeds of resistance to Taliban could lead to civil war - The Frontier Post

Civil war is surely the best that blighted country can hope for.

Better than systematic lynchings followed by acid attacks on schoolgirls for forever.

What an utterly depressing shit show.

And no, it's not on a sliding scale with the UAE, ffs.

CIA Director Met Taliban Leader in Afghanistan on Monday -Sources


WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden sent the head of the CIA to meet the Taliban's leader on Monday in the highest level diplomatic encounter since the militant group took over the Afghan capital, two U.S. sources said.


CIA Director William Burns met Taliban leader Abdul Ghani Baradar in Kabul, a U.S. official and a source familiar with government activity told Reuters on Tuesday. Both spoke on condition of anonymity.

The meeting came as the Biden administration evacuated U.S. citizens and other allies amid chaos at Kabul airport ahead of an Aug. 31 deadline to pull out.


The Washington Post, citing U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, first reported the meeting.


A CIA representative said the agency had no comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Biden last week said U.S. troops may stay in Afghanistan past the deadline next week in order to evacuate Americans.


On Monday, two Taliban sources told Reuters it would not extend the deadline for Western forces to leave.

CIA Director Met Taliban Leader in Afghanistan on Monday -Sources | World News | US News

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

We know, but it's OK, he's not President any more.

Thank goodness.

Bad News for Afghans: Biden Reportedly Won’t Budge on Aug. 31 Deadline to Leave

President Joe Biden won’t look to extend the Aug. 31 deadline for exiting Afghanistan, according to an administration official cited by the Associated Press. On Tuesday afternoon, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden had told G7 leaders that the U.S. is “currently on pace” to finish the evacuation by the end of the month. “He also made clear that with each day of operations on the grounds we have added risk to our troops with increasing threats from ISIS-K, and that completion of the mission by August 31st depends on continued coordination with the Taliban, including continued access for evacuees to the airport,” her statement said. “In addition, the President has asked the Pentagon and the State Department for contingency plans to adjust the timeline should that become necessary.”


Chaotic and dangerous conditions at the Kabul airport have made it extremely difficult to evacuate American citizens and Afghan nationals who are at risk of Taliban reprisals because they helped U.S. forces during the war. With the deadline approaching and thousands still trapped under Taliban rule, top CIA officials met in secret with the Taliban on Monday. However, the Taliban said Tuesday that it wouldn’t budge on the Aug. 31 deadline set by the Biden administration before the Afghan government imploded.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/biden-...an-reports-say

Taliban are now blocking the road leading to Kabul Airport for non-foreigners

Taliban have blocked the road leading to Kabul Airport, the terrorist group’s spokesman, Zabiullah Mujahid, has stated.


The spokesperson added that from now on, only foreign nationals will be allowed to travel to the airport – the only way out of the country not involving crossing Taliban checkpoints.


Mujahid called on Afghanis, who had flocked into the Kabul airport, its premises and even airstrip in hopes of escaping Taliban’s rule, to return home. “We guarantee their security”, he added.


The Taliban spokesman further urged Afghans, especially those employed in the spheres of health care, education, and traffic regulation, to return to their work with the exception of women, for whom the group is planning to issue a set of rules they will have to follow in order to have jobs.



Zabihullah Mujahid said foreign countries should stop “encouraging” Afghans to leave, as Afghanistan needs their talents. He said Afghan nationals should head back to their homes, jobs and normal life, as there is “no danger” to them. “Let’s live together. The war for us has finished,” he added.


The Taliban spokesperson also condemned US calls for Afghans to leave the country, urging Washington to stop encouraging such behaviour. Mujahid specifically addressed Afghan interpreters who used to work for NATO and now fear Taliban retribution and who hope that the departing troops will evacuate them. The spokesman assured that the interpreters will not be harmed.


BREAKING Taliban are now blocking the road leading to Kabul Airport for non-foreigners - AIRLIVE

Stay the course Joe. Sorry I cannot vote for ya. but you have won my respect.

Originally Posted by sabang

Stay the course Joe. Sorry I cannot vote for ya. but you have won my respect.

I'm sure he'll sleep better tonight for your support.

Originally Posted by Norton

Joe will take a lot of flack from both Dems and Reps but what are the options?

There are no options - why don't people understand that their military is operating in another country where they have no say, they have no rights to do what they are doing now, let alone do more.
The Taliban permitted and permit foreign troops to evacuate their people AND locals.

The scorecard after .... years of western "salvation" results:

Sums up results for the "liberated" citizens of YYY, ZZZ, ....

To some, "a great leap forward", others.

Originally Posted by panama hat

The Taliban permitted and permit foreign troops to evacuate their people AND locals.

70,000 + so far is pretty damn impressive in any case.

Originally Posted by OhOh

Sums up results for the "liberated" citizens of YYY, ZZZ, ....

To some, "a great leap forward", others.

Absolute 'angels' compared to the Soviet invasion, occupation and destruction of Afghanistan. No need for fancy pictures to try and look smart, here you go, this is what the Communist regime in Russia managed to do in half the time of the US:

The war began in December 1979, and lasted until February 1989. About 15,000 Soviet soldiers were killed, and about 35,000 were wounded. About two million Afghan civilians were killed.

Soviet–Afghan War - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

These numbers need no words and that you find it funny and worthy of a ridiculous emoji says a lot about you

Originally Posted by OhOh

Sums up results for the "liberated" citizens of YYY, ZZZ, ....

To some, "a great leap forward", others.

Absolute 'angels' compared to the Soviet invasion, occupation and destruction of Afghanistan. No need for fancy pictures to try and look smart, here you go, this is what the Communist regime in Russia managed to do in half the time of the US:

The war began in December 1979, and lasted until February 1989. About 15,000 Soviet soldiers were killed, and about 35,000 were wounded. About two million Afghan civilians were killed.

Soviet–Afghan War - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

These numbers need no words and that you find it funny and worthy of a ridiculous emoji says a lot about you

Originally Posted by panama hat

Absolute 'angels' compared to the Soviet invasion, occupation and destruction of Afghanistan. No need for fancy pictures to try and look smart, here you go, this is what the Communist regime in Russia managed to do in half the time of the US:

The war began in December 1979, and lasted until February 1989. About 15,000 Soviet soldiers were killed, and about 35,000 were wounded. About two million Afghan civilians were killed.

Hurrah, isn't it wonderful, being better than the murderous Soviets? (by how many deaths better?)

Casualties and losses



Civilians (Afghan):
562,000[48]–2,000,000 killed[49][50]
Soviet–Afghan War - Wikipedia

Originally Posted by Klondyke

Hurrah, isn't it wonderful, being better than the murderous Soviets? (by how many deaths better?)

By 10.000 soldoers and millions of civilians. Obvious, innit

After Taliban takeover, concerns mount over U.S. counterterrorism ability

WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - With no U.S. troops or reliable partners left, jails emptied of militants and the Taliban in control, doubts are mounting within President Joe Biden's administration over Washington's ability to stem a resurgence of al Qaeda and other extremists in Afghanistan, six current and former U.S. officials told Reuters.


Afghan security forces whom the United States helped train crumbled as Taliban militants made their way through Afghanistan in less than two weeks, leaving the United States with few partners on the ground.


"We're not in a good place," said a U.S. defense official, who requested anonymity to discuss the issue.


Weeks before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al Qaeda, the lack of visibility regarding potential extremist threats is a chilling prospect for officials.


U.S.-led forces toppled the Taliban in 2001 for sheltering al Qaeda militants, leading to America's longest war.


The U.S. troop departure ordered for Aug. 31 by Biden and the subsequent collapse of Afghan security forces have stripped the CIA and other spy agencies of protection, forcing them to close bases and withdraw personnel as well.


The Biden administration cannot rely on neighboring countries because it has so far been unable to strike accords on bases for U.S. counterterrorism forces and drones, officials said.


That has left Washington dependent on staging counterterrorism operations from U.S. bases in the Gulf and counting on the Taliban to adhere to the 2020 U.S. pullout deal to stop militant attacks on the United States and allies.


But it is a costly endeavor. Flying military aircraft out of the Middle East, the nearest military hub Washington has in the region, may ultimately cost more than the 2,500 troops that had been in Afghanistan until earlier this year, the officials added.


Even deploying scarce U.S. resources to monitor militants in Afghanistan will effectively have to compete with the administration's key priority in Asia of countering China.


The Group of Seven industrialized nations made it a priority that Afghanistan's new Taliban rulers break all ties with terrorist organizations and that the Taliban must engage in the fight against terrorism, an official at the French presidency said on Tuesday after a meeting of G7 leaders.


'SEVERE DISADVANTAGE'


U.S. military leaders estimated in June that groups like al Qaeda could pose a threat from Afghanistan to the U.S. homeland in two years.


But the Taliban takeover rendered that estimate obsolete, officials said.


Nathan Sales, the State Department's coordinator for counterterrorism until January, estimated it would now take al Qaeda six months to reconstitute the ability to conduct external operations.


The Taliban freed hundreds of detainees from prisons, stirring fears that some may include leading extremists.


While the Taliban vowed to uphold their commitment to prevent al Qaeda from plotting international attacks from Afghanistan, experts questioned that pledge.


Daniel Hoffman, a former chief of CIA covert Middle East operations, expressed doubt that the Taliban would constrain al Qaeda, noting their decades-old ties and shared ideologies.


"The country is a petri dish of threats: ISIS, al Qaeda and the Taliban. They all have us in their crosshairs," he said.


Biden has said the United States will closely monitor militant groups in Afghanistan and has the ability to track and neutralize rising threats.


But he wrongly said last week that al Qaeda was "gone" from the country, confusing U.S. officials.


His national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said on Monday that Biden was referring to al Qaeda's capability to attack the United States from Afghanistan.


A series of United Nations reports say that hundreds of al Qaeda fighters and senior leaders remain in Afghanistan under Taliban protection.


U.S. military planners say some intelligence can be gathered by satellites and aircraft flying from bases in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. But they acknowledge such operations are expensive.


"Our intelligence community and our military operators are going to be at a severe disadvantage in trying to identify where these al Qaeda cells are located, what they're planning, and it's going to be incredibly difficult for us to take them off the battlefield," said Sales.


In 2015, U.S. military officials were surprised to learn that al Qaeda was operating a massive training camp in the southern Kandahar province. That was with thousands of U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan.


"Even when we had forces on the ground and a very robust air coverage, we would often be surprised by what al Qaeda was able to do," said Kathryn Wheelbarger, a former senior Pentagon official.


Pakistan has said it will not host U.S. troops and countries in central Asia are reluctant to accept American requests because of concerns that it may anger Russia.


"I just do not believe over-the horizon can work, particularly in Afghanistan," Wheelbarger said, referring to counterterrorism efforts from outside Afghanistan.

After Taliban takeover, concerns mount over U.S. ...