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Hillary Clinton warns of ‘huge consequences’ once troops withdraw
Hillary Clinton has for the first time publicly voiced her disapproval with US President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.
In an interview with CNN on Sunday night, Clinton said the US should be prepared for “two huge consequences”.
The first, she said, is a collapse of the Afghan government and Taliban takeover, and the second would be an outpouring of refugees should civil war break out.
Her comments came just a day after the US officially launched its final withdrawal of about 2,500 troops from Afghanistan.
CNN also reported that Clinton reportedly appeared before Congress on Friday to warn against the withdrawal.
Clinton, the former US secretary of state, voiced her concerns to CNN a day after the US formally passed control of Camp Antonik in the southern Helmand province to Afghan forces on Saturday.
But explaining the two consequences she foresaw to CNN, Clinton said: “One, the potential collapse of the Afghan government and a takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, probably with a resumption of civil war in certain parts of the country, but a largely Taliban-run government at some point in the not-too-distant future.
“How do we help and protect the many, many thousands of Afghans who worked with the United States and NATO, who worked with American and other NATO-connected contractors who stood up and spoke out for women’s rights and human rights,” she asked.
“I hope that the administration in concert with the Congress will have a very large visa program and will begin immediately to try to provide that channel for so many Afghans to utilize so that they are not left in danger.
“There will also be, I fear, a huge refugee outflow. And of course, the second big set of problems revolves around a resumption of activities by global terrorist groups, most particularly al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (Daesh).”
She said: “It’s one thing to pull out troops that have been supporting security in Afghanistan, supporting the Afghan military, leaving it pretty much to fend for itself, but we can’t afford to walk away from the consequences of that decision.”
As secretary of state in the Obama administration, Clinton supported a surge of 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan to counter gains made in the country by the Taliban.
Clinton was also a fierce supporter of regime change in Libya.
Rice was the chief foreign policy adviser to Bush, and the architect of the American “war on terror” after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The United States has warned that the threat posed by terrorist groups, including ISIL-Khorasan (ISIL-K), remains a major concern, with instability continuing to provide opportunities for militant organizations to expand.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Tammy Bruce, Deputy Representative of the United States to the United Nations, said on Wednesday countering ISIL, al-Qaida and their affiliates remains a key priority for Washington.
“These groups continue to exploit instability — as evidenced by al-Qaida’s gains in the Sahel, ISIL’s growing focus on Africa, and the persistent threat from ISIL-K in Afghanistan,” Bruce said.
The remarks come as Afghan authorities have repeatedly rejected claims that terrorist organizations are operating from Afghanistan and said they will not allow the country’s territory to be used against other nations.
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Kuwait fund signs $5 million in humanitarian grants for Afghanistan, Syria
Under the agreements, $2.5 million will be allocated to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and another $2.5 million to the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) signed two grant agreements worth a combined $5 million with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Thursday to support humanitarian operations in Afghanistan and Syria.
Under the agreements, $2.5 million will be allocated to the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund and another $2.5 million to the Syria Humanitarian Fund.
KFAED said the grants will help finance urgent humanitarian programs and projects aimed at addressing critical needs and providing life-saving assistance to vulnerable and affected communities.
The funding will also enable the OCHA-managed humanitarian funds in Afghanistan and Syria to respond more rapidly and flexibly to emergencies, support humanitarian partners on the ground and improve coordination of relief operations.
According to KFAED, the latest agreements reflect Kuwait’s continued commitment to international humanitarian efforts and bring its total contributions to joint projects with OCHA to approximately $16.1 million.
The agreements were signed by KFAED Acting Director General Rashid Al-Bader and OCHA representative in Saudi Arabia Mohammad Zaid.
China has urged Afghan authorities to take resolute action against terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan, warning that such groups continue to pose a serious threat to the country and the wider region.
Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, Sun Lei, Chargé d’Affaires of China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, said on Wednesday the international community should pay close attention to the counter-terrorism situation in Afghanistan.
Citing a report by the UN Secretary-General, Sun said terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan, including ISIL-Khorasan (Daesh), continue to increase their capability and intent to carry out cross-border attacks.
“China urges the Afghan authorities to honor their counter-terrorism commitments and take resolute action against all terrorist groups based in Afghanistan,” Sun said.
He also called for action against individuals and entities listed by the UN Security Council’s 1267 Sanctions Committee, warning that Afghanistan should not become a breeding ground for terrorism.
The Chinese diplomat said the international community should support Afghanistan in rebuilding its economy and improving people’s livelihoods, arguing that addressing economic challenges can help remove conditions that contribute to the spread of terrorism.
Sun added that China supports greater cooperation between Afghanistan, Central Asian countries, and regional organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, to jointly address cross-border terrorist threats.
The remarks come as the Islamic Emirate has repeatedly denied the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, saying it will not allow Afghan territory to be used against the security of any other country.
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