Afghanistan will likely erupt in civil war: US general

GBNEWS24DESK//

Afghanistan will “likely” erupt in civil war, the top US general told US media, warning that those conditions could see a resurgence of terrorist groups in the country.

As American forces began their withdrawal, the Taliban took over Afghanistan in a lightning campaign, with only the northern province Panjshir holding out against the hardline Islamists.

“My military estimate… is that the conditions are likely to develop of a civil war,” General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Fox News.

He questioned whether the Taliban, who are yet to declare a government, would be able to consolidate power and establish effective governance.

“I think there’s at least a very good probability of a broader civil war and that will then in turn lead to conditions that could, in fact, lead to a reconstitution of Al-Qaeda or a growth of ISIS or other… terrorist groups,” Mr Milley said.

Emphasizing that he could not predict what would happen next in Afghanistan, he nonetheless gave a bleak assessment.

Meanwhile, Taliban fighters have advanced deep into Afghanistan’s holdout Panjshir Valley, with resistance fighters saying they are keeping the Islamists at bay, but analysts warned they are struggling.

Italian aid agency Emergency, which runs a hospital in Panjshir, said Taliban forces had reached the village of Anabah, where they run a surgical centre.

“Many people have fled from local villages in recent days,” Emergency said in a statement, adding it was continuing to provide medical services.

“There has so far been no interference with Emergency’s activities,” it said.

“We have received a small number of wounded people at the Anabah Surgical Centre.”