angelburst29
The Living Force
Moscow is concerned about the use of helicopters without identification marks for transportation of militants and weapons, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Sunday ahead of the conference on Afghanistan.
Moscow Concerned Over Unmarked Helicopters Transferring Militants in Afghanistan 25.03.2018
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803251062879174-afghanistan-choppers-militants-weapons/
"The use of helicopters without identification marks in various regions of Afghanistan with an aim to transport militants and weapons produced in the Western countries to the Afghan affiliate [of the Islamic State terrorist group*] raises concern. We believe the statements of Afghan authorities confirming these facts urge serious investigation," the statement read.
"[Russia] is concerned about the increase of terrorist activity of Taliban movement staging attacks in various parts of Afghanistan and the increase of IS presence in northern Afghan provinces bordering the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)," the ministry stressed.
On Monday, a two-day conference dedicated to the situation in Afghanistan will kick off in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Earlier this year, Chief of Iranian General Staff Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri accused the US of transferring Daesh terrorists to Afghanistan after the jihadist group's defeats in Syria and Iraq.
The same month, Damascus said that US air power had been used on numerous occasions to rescue terrorist leaders from their imminent destruction at the hands of the Syrian army and even to stage 'accidental' attacks on Syrian forces as they advanced against the militants.
The US-coalition, however, has denied all accusations.
German Defense Minister Says ‘Be Patient’ as Berlin Ramps up Afghan Deployment 25.03.2018
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803251062890482-german-defense-minister-says-be-patient-as-berlin-ramps-up-afghan-deployment/
"It is not a question of a time frame that must be stubbornly stuck to," stated Berlin's Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, speaking before German troops during a visit to the Bundeswehr's Afghan base in Mazar-i-Sharif.
"We need patience and staying power," she said.
The Bundeswehr, the unified armed forces of Germany, has been in Afghanistan as part of a NATO "Resolute Support" mission which began on January 1, 2015. Among the mission's goals are the training of Afghan security forces to fight groups including the Taliban, the Haqqani network and any regional representatives of Daesh. The German military is said to be primarily conducting these training programs in the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan.
Von der Leyen's comments come after the German government increased its troop deployment from 980 to 1,300 in March, despite concerns that increasing numbers would result in a more rapid deterioration of the Bundeswehr's aging military hardware.
Germany's coalition government has promised to increase military spending by around $12.4 billion over the next four years, according to multiple sources.
Von der Leyen's announcement that German troops would remain longer in Afghanistan is indicative of a declining security situation in the country.
At the end of 2014, a resurgent Taliban regained control of parts of the country after US-led NATO troops left the country at the end of 2014. In addition, although Daesh affiliates have been mostly eradicated in Syria and Iraq, they still control large areas in Afghanistan.
Currently, Afghan security forces only have control of about 60 percent of the territory.
"That is good, but not enough by a long shot," von der Leyen said, cited by Europeonline-magazine.eu.
There has been a rise in extremist attacks in Afghanistan during 2017. In January, a Taliban suicide bomber blew up an ambulance on a Kabul street, which killed over 100 people and injured more than 230.
Last week, a Daesh suicide bomber killed 29 Shiites during a Persian new year celebration.
The United Nations states that more than 10,000 civilians have been killed or injured in 2017 alone as a result of the United States ongoing 17-year war in Afghanistan.
US in Afghanistan to Influence Russia, Iran, China – Russian Foreign Ministry
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201803141062508547-us-afghanistan-influence/
"In our opinion, the United States is in Afghanistan primarily with the aim of controlling and influencing the political processes in its neighboring countries, and also demonstrating its power to its regional competitors, primarily China, Russia and Iran.
The United States is clearly trying to achieve destabilization of Central Asia and later transfer it to Russia in order to subsequently present itself as the only defender against potential and emerging threats in the region," Kabulov said.
According to the diplomat, Russia and other countries neighboring with Afghanistan have questions about the true goals and time frame of the US military presence in the Central Asian country.
"If the United States and its NATO allies intend to continue their destructive policy in Afghanistan, this will mean that the West is heading toward the revival of the Cold War era in this part of the world.
We closely monitor the developments and are ready to respond in cooperation with our partners and other like-minded people," Kabulov noted.
The diplomat pointed out that Washington still failed to understand that the Afghan conflict could not be resolved solely by military means, stressing that it was impossible to defeat the Taliban* by force.
Moscow is puzzled by the attempts of the United States and NATO to persuade Afghanistan to replace Russian weapons and military equipment, such move leads to reduction of Afghan’s military potential, Zamir Kabulov told Sputnik in an interview.
"The course taken by the United States and NATO to persuade Kabul to replace Russia-made small arms and aircraft is surprising, as it will inevitably lead to a decrease in the combat capabilities of the Afghan armed forces and further deterioration of the situation," Kabulov said.
The diplomat reminded that a bilateral intergovernmental agreement on Russia’s defense industry assistance to Afghanistan had entered into force in November 2016, adding that the document created the legal framework for Russian assistance in arming and equipping the Afghan security forces.
"At the moment, negotiations are underway on repairs and supplies of spare parts for the Afghan Air Force’s helicopters for various purposes, produced in Russia (the Soviet Union),” Kabulov added.
Afghanistan Parliamentary Election - The parliamentary election in Afghanistan is unlikely to take place in July in the current circumstances, Kabulov said.
"I do not think that the parliamentary elections in Afghanistan will be held in July this year as scheduled. The Taliban continue to control about half of the country's territory, engage in hostilities, organize and carry out terrorist attacks in large cities, and, apparently, are not going to make compromises and reconciliation with the Afghan government," Kabulov said.
Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) is also unlikely to accomplish all the necessary procedures before the date set for the vote, given that the commission has announced earlier that the registration of voters will complete only by early August, the diplomat noted.
Furthermore, disagreements between the presidential administration and its political opposition regarding the parameters of the upcoming elections still remain unresolved, the official noted.
In my opinion, if elections are conducted in the current circumstances, their results will not improve the political situation in the country and confidence in the current government, will not force the armed opposition to cooperate with the government," Kabulov added.
The diplomat also noted that the Daesh terror group posed a serious threat to holding the election.
"The Daesh jihadists pose a serious threat to the security of the conduct of elections, especially in the north and a number of eastern provinces of Afghanistan. Some polling stations in the provinces of Helmand, Uruzgan, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Faryab and Ghazni are the most problematic in terms of security, according to the IEC data. I think that, in fact, the list of problematic areas in terms of organization of voting is much longer," Kabulov said.
Afghanistan Reconciliation Talks - Russia considers the so-called Moscow format of talks an optimal platform for the promotion of national reconciliation in Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov noted.
"Unfortunately, the existence of a large number of international formats on the Afghan issue has not significantly contributed to the involvement of the Taliban in peace negotiations. In this regard, we consider the Moscow format of consultations launched by us in early 2017 as the optimal platform for substantive negotiations to promote national reconciliation and establish a constructive dialogue between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban movement," Kabulov said.
Kabulov also noted that Moscow considered the format of talks in the Afghan capital as one approach toward achieving a collective solution to the problems surrounding Afghan settlement.
"A signal of international support for the resolution of the intra-Afghan conflict through political dialogue with the government of Afghanistan has been sent to the Taliban. The Taliban ignored the recent meeting of the ‘Kabul process’ in the Afghan capital, insisting on direct talks with the United States," the diplomat added.
In February 2017, Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and Afghanistan came together in Moscow for talks to promote the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan through regional cooperation with Kabul in the leading role. Apart from the aforementioned states, the latest round in April gathered five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The United States refused to take part in the meeting.
Afghanistan has long suffered political, social and security-related instability because of the simmering insurgency, including that of the Taliban, but also because of the actions of the Daesh terror group.
The United States has been in Afghanistan for almost 17 years following the 9/11 attacks. Before his election, Trump slammed sending US troops and resources to the Central Asian country.
Is There a 'Secret US Hand' Supporting Daesh in Afghanistan?
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201802161061733109-daesh-us-cooperation-afghanistan-analysis/
Speaking to Sputnik Dari, Ahmad Wahid Mozhda, a political scientist and former Mujahedeen commander, explained that many Afghans believe in the presence of a 'mysterious foreign hand' in their country helping to consolidate Daesh's position.
"Many members of Afghanistan's parliament, as well as ordinary citizens, are saying that Daesh terrorists are being brought here by unidentified helicopters. There is a great deal of evidence to support this," Mozhda said. "Afghans believe in a kind of 'mysterious hand' working to strengthen Daesh's positions," he added.
Mozhda challenged the US's long-standing assertion that fighting terror was its main mission in Afghanistan, and pointed out that in its 17 years of fighting, the US has not only suffered significant material and personnel losses, but has not been unable to win this war. On the contrary, he noted, the number of terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan has grown exponentially.
"It's worth keeping in mind that when the US sent its forces to Afghanistan in 2001, their main goal was the destruction of al-Qaeda, which at that moment was the only terrorist group in the country. 17 years have passed, and now Afghanistan has over twenty terrorist groups…. Why, with the US having spent a trillion dollars on this war, and the international coalition losing about 4,000 troops, has the war not ended?…Why did [even a] 150,000-strong international coalition troop presence fail to ensure Afghanistan's security?"
Mozhda also pointed to the steep rise in drug production in Afghanistan since 2001. "The Americans are saying that drugs fuel terrorism, and that [terrorists] receive income from drug production. Over the past 17 years, there has not been any serious struggle against drug production and drug trafficking in Afghanistan, even though this serious problem clearly exists."
All this, the observer says, "gives rise to a number of questions regarding the fight against terrorism, which has not been successful in Afghanistan."
Ultimately, Mozhda indicated that concerns from Iran and other countries with the possibility of US intrigue in Afghanistan were fully justified, since unlike the Taliban, which limits its activities to one country, Daesh is bent on destabilizing the entire region. "Unlike the Taliban, who did not have an international program, Daesh's goals are to create problems in neighboring countries, including China or the Central Asian countries."
In this light, "the goal of supporting terrorism in Afghanistan is to create a threat to the countries of the region – to Iran, Russia and China, countries which have difficult relations with the USA," the analyst concluded.
Last week, Iranian Armed Forces' Chief of Staff Mohammad Baqeri accused the US of transferring Daesh militants from their crumbling caliphate into Afghanistan. "When the Americans realized that Daesh and [other] terrorist groups lost the territories they had previously occupied in Iraq and Syria, they transported them, by various means, to Afghanistan, and we are now witnessing the explosions, terror and new crimes being committed in Afghanistan," the officer said.
The Iranian military's claims follow on similar charges made earlier Russian officials, as well as remarks late last year by former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who called Daesh a "tool" used by Washington to pursue its broader goals in the region.
Speaking to Sputnik Dari, Afghan Defense Ministry press secretary Dawlat Waziri denied Baqeri's claims. On the contrary, he noted, "the Americans help us destroy the Daesh terrorists, as well as other terrorist groups in Afghanistan." Waziri stressed that the US military contingent in Afghanistan was crucial to the country's security, and noted that the US provides valuable training, consultations and planning assistance to the Afghan military, as well as direct air and ground support against the terrorists.
‘We Are Surrounded’: 21 Terrorist Organizations Active in Afghanistan
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201802151061674094-afghanistan-terror-groups-pakistan/
"Besides the Taliban and Daesh, there are other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, such as Lashkare Taiba [the Army of God, one of largest and most active groups in Southern Asia], Jamiat-i-Islami [the Islamic Congress, an Islamist political party in Pakistan], Goruhe Torkestane Sharqi [Islamic Movement of East Turkistan, a Uigur militant group that seeks to create an independent Islamist state in Xinjiang], Al-Qaeda, Jamaat Ansarullah [an extremist organization from Tajikistan], and Hezbe Tahrike Eslami [Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, an Uzbek terrorist group], as well as other groups from South Asia and Pakistan, which play a primary role in violations of security in the region," Ramanesh said.
The nation's security forces also name other groups: Hizb ut-Tahrir [Party of Liberation, an international pan-islamist political party], Jeishe Mohammad [the Army of the Prophet], Maulvi Nazir [an influential Taliban offshoot] and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan [an Islamic organization that unites various Pakistani groups]. These groups also arm themselves in Pakistan and then move to Afghanistan.
According to Ashraf Ghani, president of Afghanistan, the reason for the country's instability is the ongoing activity of a large number of terrorists from these various international groups.
"There are 21 terrorist groups acting in the country. We are surrounded. We will continue to fight until we solve our security problem," he said, speaking before journalists.
According to 2017 statistics, some 2,000 terrorist attacks killed or injured roughly 25,000 people in Afghanistan.
Radmanesh noted that the majority of the terrorists' training bases are in Pakistan.
"There are terrorist groups being created in Central Asia as well, who then fight in this country. But they are not a threat to us. All schools and training centers for terrorists were in Pakistan. They are armed by the existing shuras [Taliban authority bodies]: Miranshah shura, Peshawar shura, Gerdi shura and Quetta shura."
The statements by Afghan officials that Pakistan is to blame for the ongoing war are not new. But recently, relations between the two countries cooled significantly because of harsh Afghan criticism of its southern neighbor.
Following the bloody events of this past January in Kabul, when terrorists killed 228 people and injured 360, the Afghanistan president addressed his people:
"Pakistan is where the main center of the Taliban is. Now the government of Pakistan decides that what fits them, fits the rest of the Islamic world."
Radmanesh says that international terrorist groups have also chosen Pakistan as their center of operations. "Terrorists from other countries will also come to Pakistan, get weapons there and then will move to Afghanistan."
According to him, the number of militants from various groups reaches up to 30,000 people, although not everybody has the same goals — some are opportunists. "There are 30,000 militants out there. But there are other people with other goals. There are even thieves who act under cover of the name of Taliban and use the situation in their own interest."
Radmanesh said that terrorists are scattered across the country. "In some provinces, there are no militants. And in provinces like Panjsher, Bamyan, Daikundi and Kabul, there are only a few terrorists. They are mostly based in Pakistan. And even if we kill 10 of them, Pakistan will hire 12 people instead, because of the strategic importance of these regions."
In February of this year, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasiliy Nebenzya expressed concern regarding Daesh's growing ranks in Afghanistan after its defeat in Syria. "Militants of the Daesh terror group are moving to Afghanistan after their defeat in Syria and there are some 7,000 people there."
Radmanesh does not agree with this count.
"One can say there are some 3,000 Daesh militants. For example, there were talks that there were 3,000 Daesh terrorists in Darzab district in Jawzjan province, but when we conducted an operation there, we killed 80 terrorists and that was about it."
The Ministry of Defense representative said he does not have precise data about terrorists' numbers.
"All data we cite are imprecise. It's better to speak the truth. There are roughly 3,000 of them. Most of them are in Nangarhar. When we conduct operations, they flee beyond Durand line," he said, referring to mostly unmarked 1,510 mile long border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
According to a Ministry of Defense representative, after March 21, Afghanistan's armed forces are going to increase the number of counter-terrorist operations.
Moscow Concerned Over Unmarked Helicopters Transferring Militants in Afghanistan 25.03.2018
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803251062879174-afghanistan-choppers-militants-weapons/
"The use of helicopters without identification marks in various regions of Afghanistan with an aim to transport militants and weapons produced in the Western countries to the Afghan affiliate [of the Islamic State terrorist group*] raises concern. We believe the statements of Afghan authorities confirming these facts urge serious investigation," the statement read.
"[Russia] is concerned about the increase of terrorist activity of Taliban movement staging attacks in various parts of Afghanistan and the increase of IS presence in northern Afghan provinces bordering the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)," the ministry stressed.
On Monday, a two-day conference dedicated to the situation in Afghanistan will kick off in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent with the participation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Earlier this year, Chief of Iranian General Staff Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri accused the US of transferring Daesh terrorists to Afghanistan after the jihadist group's defeats in Syria and Iraq.
The same month, Damascus said that US air power had been used on numerous occasions to rescue terrorist leaders from their imminent destruction at the hands of the Syrian army and even to stage 'accidental' attacks on Syrian forces as they advanced against the militants.
The US-coalition, however, has denied all accusations.
German Defense Minister Says ‘Be Patient’ as Berlin Ramps up Afghan Deployment 25.03.2018
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201803251062890482-german-defense-minister-says-be-patient-as-berlin-ramps-up-afghan-deployment/
"It is not a question of a time frame that must be stubbornly stuck to," stated Berlin's Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, speaking before German troops during a visit to the Bundeswehr's Afghan base in Mazar-i-Sharif.
"We need patience and staying power," she said.
The Bundeswehr, the unified armed forces of Germany, has been in Afghanistan as part of a NATO "Resolute Support" mission which began on January 1, 2015. Among the mission's goals are the training of Afghan security forces to fight groups including the Taliban, the Haqqani network and any regional representatives of Daesh. The German military is said to be primarily conducting these training programs in the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan.
Von der Leyen's comments come after the German government increased its troop deployment from 980 to 1,300 in March, despite concerns that increasing numbers would result in a more rapid deterioration of the Bundeswehr's aging military hardware.
Germany's coalition government has promised to increase military spending by around $12.4 billion over the next four years, according to multiple sources.
Von der Leyen's announcement that German troops would remain longer in Afghanistan is indicative of a declining security situation in the country.
At the end of 2014, a resurgent Taliban regained control of parts of the country after US-led NATO troops left the country at the end of 2014. In addition, although Daesh affiliates have been mostly eradicated in Syria and Iraq, they still control large areas in Afghanistan.
Currently, Afghan security forces only have control of about 60 percent of the territory.
"That is good, but not enough by a long shot," von der Leyen said, cited by Europeonline-magazine.eu.
There has been a rise in extremist attacks in Afghanistan during 2017. In January, a Taliban suicide bomber blew up an ambulance on a Kabul street, which killed over 100 people and injured more than 230.
Last week, a Daesh suicide bomber killed 29 Shiites during a Persian new year celebration.
The United Nations states that more than 10,000 civilians have been killed or injured in 2017 alone as a result of the United States ongoing 17-year war in Afghanistan.
US in Afghanistan to Influence Russia, Iran, China – Russian Foreign Ministry
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201803141062508547-us-afghanistan-influence/
"In our opinion, the United States is in Afghanistan primarily with the aim of controlling and influencing the political processes in its neighboring countries, and also demonstrating its power to its regional competitors, primarily China, Russia and Iran.
The United States is clearly trying to achieve destabilization of Central Asia and later transfer it to Russia in order to subsequently present itself as the only defender against potential and emerging threats in the region," Kabulov said.
According to the diplomat, Russia and other countries neighboring with Afghanistan have questions about the true goals and time frame of the US military presence in the Central Asian country.
"If the United States and its NATO allies intend to continue their destructive policy in Afghanistan, this will mean that the West is heading toward the revival of the Cold War era in this part of the world.
We closely monitor the developments and are ready to respond in cooperation with our partners and other like-minded people," Kabulov noted.
The diplomat pointed out that Washington still failed to understand that the Afghan conflict could not be resolved solely by military means, stressing that it was impossible to defeat the Taliban* by force.
Moscow is puzzled by the attempts of the United States and NATO to persuade Afghanistan to replace Russian weapons and military equipment, such move leads to reduction of Afghan’s military potential, Zamir Kabulov told Sputnik in an interview.
"The course taken by the United States and NATO to persuade Kabul to replace Russia-made small arms and aircraft is surprising, as it will inevitably lead to a decrease in the combat capabilities of the Afghan armed forces and further deterioration of the situation," Kabulov said.
The diplomat reminded that a bilateral intergovernmental agreement on Russia’s defense industry assistance to Afghanistan had entered into force in November 2016, adding that the document created the legal framework for Russian assistance in arming and equipping the Afghan security forces.
"At the moment, negotiations are underway on repairs and supplies of spare parts for the Afghan Air Force’s helicopters for various purposes, produced in Russia (the Soviet Union),” Kabulov added.
Afghanistan Parliamentary Election - The parliamentary election in Afghanistan is unlikely to take place in July in the current circumstances, Kabulov said.
"I do not think that the parliamentary elections in Afghanistan will be held in July this year as scheduled. The Taliban continue to control about half of the country's territory, engage in hostilities, organize and carry out terrorist attacks in large cities, and, apparently, are not going to make compromises and reconciliation with the Afghan government," Kabulov said.
Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) is also unlikely to accomplish all the necessary procedures before the date set for the vote, given that the commission has announced earlier that the registration of voters will complete only by early August, the diplomat noted.
Furthermore, disagreements between the presidential administration and its political opposition regarding the parameters of the upcoming elections still remain unresolved, the official noted.
In my opinion, if elections are conducted in the current circumstances, their results will not improve the political situation in the country and confidence in the current government, will not force the armed opposition to cooperate with the government," Kabulov added.
The diplomat also noted that the Daesh terror group posed a serious threat to holding the election.
"The Daesh jihadists pose a serious threat to the security of the conduct of elections, especially in the north and a number of eastern provinces of Afghanistan. Some polling stations in the provinces of Helmand, Uruzgan, Kunduz, Badakhshan, Faryab and Ghazni are the most problematic in terms of security, according to the IEC data. I think that, in fact, the list of problematic areas in terms of organization of voting is much longer," Kabulov said.
Afghanistan Reconciliation Talks - Russia considers the so-called Moscow format of talks an optimal platform for the promotion of national reconciliation in Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov noted.
"Unfortunately, the existence of a large number of international formats on the Afghan issue has not significantly contributed to the involvement of the Taliban in peace negotiations. In this regard, we consider the Moscow format of consultations launched by us in early 2017 as the optimal platform for substantive negotiations to promote national reconciliation and establish a constructive dialogue between the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban movement," Kabulov said.
Kabulov also noted that Moscow considered the format of talks in the Afghan capital as one approach toward achieving a collective solution to the problems surrounding Afghan settlement.
"A signal of international support for the resolution of the intra-Afghan conflict through political dialogue with the government of Afghanistan has been sent to the Taliban. The Taliban ignored the recent meeting of the ‘Kabul process’ in the Afghan capital, insisting on direct talks with the United States," the diplomat added.
In February 2017, Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, India and Afghanistan came together in Moscow for talks to promote the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan through regional cooperation with Kabul in the leading role. Apart from the aforementioned states, the latest round in April gathered five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The United States refused to take part in the meeting.
Afghanistan has long suffered political, social and security-related instability because of the simmering insurgency, including that of the Taliban, but also because of the actions of the Daesh terror group.
The United States has been in Afghanistan for almost 17 years following the 9/11 attacks. Before his election, Trump slammed sending US troops and resources to the Central Asian country.
Is There a 'Secret US Hand' Supporting Daesh in Afghanistan?
https://sputniknews.com/analysis/201802161061733109-daesh-us-cooperation-afghanistan-analysis/
Speaking to Sputnik Dari, Ahmad Wahid Mozhda, a political scientist and former Mujahedeen commander, explained that many Afghans believe in the presence of a 'mysterious foreign hand' in their country helping to consolidate Daesh's position.
"Many members of Afghanistan's parliament, as well as ordinary citizens, are saying that Daesh terrorists are being brought here by unidentified helicopters. There is a great deal of evidence to support this," Mozhda said. "Afghans believe in a kind of 'mysterious hand' working to strengthen Daesh's positions," he added.
Mozhda challenged the US's long-standing assertion that fighting terror was its main mission in Afghanistan, and pointed out that in its 17 years of fighting, the US has not only suffered significant material and personnel losses, but has not been unable to win this war. On the contrary, he noted, the number of terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan has grown exponentially.
"It's worth keeping in mind that when the US sent its forces to Afghanistan in 2001, their main goal was the destruction of al-Qaeda, which at that moment was the only terrorist group in the country. 17 years have passed, and now Afghanistan has over twenty terrorist groups…. Why, with the US having spent a trillion dollars on this war, and the international coalition losing about 4,000 troops, has the war not ended?…Why did [even a] 150,000-strong international coalition troop presence fail to ensure Afghanistan's security?"
Mozhda also pointed to the steep rise in drug production in Afghanistan since 2001. "The Americans are saying that drugs fuel terrorism, and that [terrorists] receive income from drug production. Over the past 17 years, there has not been any serious struggle against drug production and drug trafficking in Afghanistan, even though this serious problem clearly exists."
All this, the observer says, "gives rise to a number of questions regarding the fight against terrorism, which has not been successful in Afghanistan."
Ultimately, Mozhda indicated that concerns from Iran and other countries with the possibility of US intrigue in Afghanistan were fully justified, since unlike the Taliban, which limits its activities to one country, Daesh is bent on destabilizing the entire region. "Unlike the Taliban, who did not have an international program, Daesh's goals are to create problems in neighboring countries, including China or the Central Asian countries."
In this light, "the goal of supporting terrorism in Afghanistan is to create a threat to the countries of the region – to Iran, Russia and China, countries which have difficult relations with the USA," the analyst concluded.
Last week, Iranian Armed Forces' Chief of Staff Mohammad Baqeri accused the US of transferring Daesh militants from their crumbling caliphate into Afghanistan. "When the Americans realized that Daesh and [other] terrorist groups lost the territories they had previously occupied in Iraq and Syria, they transported them, by various means, to Afghanistan, and we are now witnessing the explosions, terror and new crimes being committed in Afghanistan," the officer said.
The Iranian military's claims follow on similar charges made earlier Russian officials, as well as remarks late last year by former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who called Daesh a "tool" used by Washington to pursue its broader goals in the region.
Speaking to Sputnik Dari, Afghan Defense Ministry press secretary Dawlat Waziri denied Baqeri's claims. On the contrary, he noted, "the Americans help us destroy the Daesh terrorists, as well as other terrorist groups in Afghanistan." Waziri stressed that the US military contingent in Afghanistan was crucial to the country's security, and noted that the US provides valuable training, consultations and planning assistance to the Afghan military, as well as direct air and ground support against the terrorists.
‘We Are Surrounded’: 21 Terrorist Organizations Active in Afghanistan
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201802151061674094-afghanistan-terror-groups-pakistan/
"Besides the Taliban and Daesh, there are other terrorist groups in Afghanistan, such as Lashkare Taiba [the Army of God, one of largest and most active groups in Southern Asia], Jamiat-i-Islami [the Islamic Congress, an Islamist political party in Pakistan], Goruhe Torkestane Sharqi [Islamic Movement of East Turkistan, a Uigur militant group that seeks to create an independent Islamist state in Xinjiang], Al-Qaeda, Jamaat Ansarullah [an extremist organization from Tajikistan], and Hezbe Tahrike Eslami [Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, an Uzbek terrorist group], as well as other groups from South Asia and Pakistan, which play a primary role in violations of security in the region," Ramanesh said.
The nation's security forces also name other groups: Hizb ut-Tahrir [Party of Liberation, an international pan-islamist political party], Jeishe Mohammad [the Army of the Prophet], Maulvi Nazir [an influential Taliban offshoot] and Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan [an Islamic organization that unites various Pakistani groups]. These groups also arm themselves in Pakistan and then move to Afghanistan.
According to Ashraf Ghani, president of Afghanistan, the reason for the country's instability is the ongoing activity of a large number of terrorists from these various international groups.
"There are 21 terrorist groups acting in the country. We are surrounded. We will continue to fight until we solve our security problem," he said, speaking before journalists.
According to 2017 statistics, some 2,000 terrorist attacks killed or injured roughly 25,000 people in Afghanistan.
Radmanesh noted that the majority of the terrorists' training bases are in Pakistan.
"There are terrorist groups being created in Central Asia as well, who then fight in this country. But they are not a threat to us. All schools and training centers for terrorists were in Pakistan. They are armed by the existing shuras [Taliban authority bodies]: Miranshah shura, Peshawar shura, Gerdi shura and Quetta shura."
The statements by Afghan officials that Pakistan is to blame for the ongoing war are not new. But recently, relations between the two countries cooled significantly because of harsh Afghan criticism of its southern neighbor.
Following the bloody events of this past January in Kabul, when terrorists killed 228 people and injured 360, the Afghanistan president addressed his people:
"Pakistan is where the main center of the Taliban is. Now the government of Pakistan decides that what fits them, fits the rest of the Islamic world."
Radmanesh says that international terrorist groups have also chosen Pakistan as their center of operations. "Terrorists from other countries will also come to Pakistan, get weapons there and then will move to Afghanistan."
According to him, the number of militants from various groups reaches up to 30,000 people, although not everybody has the same goals — some are opportunists. "There are 30,000 militants out there. But there are other people with other goals. There are even thieves who act under cover of the name of Taliban and use the situation in their own interest."
Radmanesh said that terrorists are scattered across the country. "In some provinces, there are no militants. And in provinces like Panjsher, Bamyan, Daikundi and Kabul, there are only a few terrorists. They are mostly based in Pakistan. And even if we kill 10 of them, Pakistan will hire 12 people instead, because of the strategic importance of these regions."
In February of this year, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasiliy Nebenzya expressed concern regarding Daesh's growing ranks in Afghanistan after its defeat in Syria. "Militants of the Daesh terror group are moving to Afghanistan after their defeat in Syria and there are some 7,000 people there."
Radmanesh does not agree with this count.
"One can say there are some 3,000 Daesh militants. For example, there were talks that there were 3,000 Daesh terrorists in Darzab district in Jawzjan province, but when we conducted an operation there, we killed 80 terrorists and that was about it."
The Ministry of Defense representative said he does not have precise data about terrorists' numbers.
"All data we cite are imprecise. It's better to speak the truth. There are roughly 3,000 of them. Most of them are in Nangarhar. When we conduct operations, they flee beyond Durand line," he said, referring to mostly unmarked 1,510 mile long border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
According to a Ministry of Defense representative, after March 21, Afghanistan's armed forces are going to increase the number of counter-terrorist operations.
