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Biden to consider keeping counterterror forces in Afghanistan

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U.S. President-elect Joe Biden may consider keeping a small contingent of counterterrorism troops in Afghanistan, a move expected to face resistance from the Taliban, analysts told Stars and Stripes.

But analysts say the Biden administration is expected to retain most aspects of the US-Taliban deal struck in February.

Like President Donald Trump, the president-elect has spoken out against “forever wars,” including America’s longest, in Afghanistan. But while Trump wanted all troops home by Christmas, Biden has said he would consider keeping a small counterterrorism force there, Stars and Stripes reported.

“I support drawing down the troops. But here’s the problem, we still have to worry about terrorism and [the Islamic State],” Biden told Stars and Stripes.

Earlier this week Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said in a congratulatory tweet to Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris that he wanted to continue and deepen the “multilayered strategic partnership with the United States … including in counterterrorism and bringing peace to Afghanistan.”

The Taliban, on the other hand, have told Biden he should stick firmly to the deal negotiated by his predecessor — even though they have fallen short of meeting several of the conditions — and fully withdraw international troops by the agreement’s May deadline.

“The Islamic Emirate would like to stress to the … American president-elect and future administration that implementation of the agreement is the most reasonable and effective tool for ending the conflict between … our countries,” the group said in a statement.

Although there have been calls from Afghan lawmakers for the deal struck by the Trump administration and the Taliban to be renegotiated — including the clause calling for the full withdrawal of international forces — doing so would mean the U.S. would have to “recommit to war,” said Ashley Jackson, a researcher with the Overseas Development Institute to Stars and Stripes.

“And I don’t know if the U.S., or Biden specifically, is willing to do that,” Jackson said. “Whatever he does, he’s walking a tightrope.”

U.S. military leaders have said withdrawing all international troops from the country was contingent on the Taliban meeting the conditions in the deal. The focus of the new U.S. administration will be to ensure the security of the United States and its allies, analysts said.

“If the Biden Administration is satisfied on that front, it might largely keep the same deal,” university lecturer and journalist Dawood Azami said.

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Afghanistan says Pakistani military post destroyed near Spin Boldak

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Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense says a Pakistani military post near Spin Boldak was targeted and destroyed after Pakistani forces opened fire toward Afghanistan.

Ministry spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarazmi said in a post on X that Afghan forces suffered no casualties or damage in the clash.

Khwarazmi also rejected claims made by the Pakistani side about the incident, describing them as “propaganda.”

 

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Mujahid: Pakistan attacking Afghanistan to evade Mecca Pact responsibilities

He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”

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Islamic Emirate spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has accused Pakistan of carrying out attacks on Afghanistan to divert attention from its domestic problems and to evade responsibilities under the “Mecca Pact.”

Speaking at a religious seminary in Kandahar, Mujahid said Pakistan was facing political and economic challenges at home and was using attacks on Afghanistan to shift public attention away from protests and its internal problems.

“Pakistan, by violating the territory of its neighboring Islamic country, wants to divert attention from its failures,” he said.

Mujahid also criticized Pakistan’s political situation, claiming that political space had been restricted and that freedoms guaranteed under the country’s laws were not being allowed.

He said Pakistan’s economic problems had also increased significantly and accused the country of seeking to distract the public from those problems by engaging in conflict with Afghanistan.

Mujahid further accused Pakistan’s military leadership of putting the Pakistani people at risk through what he described as its “false position.”

He warned that the Islamic Emirate would give an “appropriate response” to what he called the Pakistani military regime’s “bullying.”

His remarks followed Pakistani airstrikes on Kandahar, Paktia and Khost provinces on Thursday, which Afghan authorities said killed four civilians.

The strikes came three days after attacks on Kunar and Paktika provinces, in which Afghan authorities said three civilians were killed.

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Kabul rejects U.S. claim that meth seized in Pakistan was of Afghan origin

Balkhi said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.

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Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi has rejected a U.S. claim that 463 kilograms of synthetic drugs seized in Pakistan were of Afghan origin, calling the attribution “unfounded and politically motivated.”

Balkhi said the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad should investigate the origin of the seized drugs in Pakistan rather than attributing them to Afghanistan.

“The attribution by the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad of the synthetic drugs bound for Sri Lanka and intercepted in Pakistan through joint U.S.-Pakistani efforts as ‘Afghan-origin’ is an unfounded and politically motivated allegation,” Balkhi said.

He said the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed an absolute ban on the production, trafficking and use of all types of narcotics in Afghanistan.

Balkhi also claimed that following the ban in Afghanistan, the cultivation, production and trafficking of narcotics have increased “on the other side of the Durand Line.”

He further argued that Afghanistan does not have the capacity to produce synthetic drugs and said crossing points along the Durand Line have been completely closed to all movement for nearly a year.

His remarks came after the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad said U.S. and Pakistani anti-narcotics authorities had seized 463 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth an estimated $21 million and bound for Sri Lanka.

The embassy said the operation led to multiple arrests and highlighted ongoing U.S. cooperation and training with Pakistani authorities to disrupt international drug-trafficking networks.

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