Saturday, April 23, 2022

Violence Intensifies in Afghanistan

    Eight months ago, U.S. troops retreated from Afghanistan, allowing the Taliban to return to power. Since the Taliban has started taking over, there have naturally been concerns about the country becoming a hub of terrorism. If Taliban-ruled Afghanistan is again turning into an exporter of terror, it’s in part because of the collapse of its economy and law and order; security across the country is virtually non-existent and getting worse by the minute. 

    The Taliban’s inability to govern has effectively provided free rein for terrorist groups to operate in and from Afghanistan’s territory. Some of the terror groups operating in Afghanistan have teamed up with the IMU to destabilize some Central Asian neighbors that remain in Russia’s sphere of influence. 

    Many Central Asian states see their relationship with Moscow as a potential liability following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions that will send economic and social problems their way. Tight supplies of pricey commodities could bring unrest, as fuel price hikes did earlier this year in Kazakhstan. It would very much be in Afghanistan's interest to destabilize Russia, one way or another. 

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/20/afghanistan-taliban-terrorism-jihad-control/

By: Noah Hittie

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