[Epoch Times October 28, 2021](Reported by English Epoch Times reporter Mimi Nguyen Ly / compiled by Gao Sugi) According to a senior US Pentagon official, ISIS-K, the branch of the ISIS terrorist organization active in Afghanistan, is the fastest An international terrorist attack may be launched within 6 to 12 months.
On Tuesday (October 26), the U.S. Department of Defense Deputy Secretary for Policy Affairs Colin Kahl (Colin Kahl) testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee (Senate Armed Services Committee) that the Islamic State (ISIS) and al-Qaeda terrorist organization (al-Qaeda) -Qaeda) have the desire to launch an international terrorist attack, but they are currently unable to carry out it.
He said: “The intelligence agencies estimate that both ISIS-K and Al Qaeda intend to launch attacks abroad, including operations against the United States. But at present, neither of them has the ability to do so.” “I think we may see that in 6 In 12 months, ISIS-K will have this capability. The current assessment of the intelligence community is that it will take a year or two for Al Qaeda to rebuild this capability.”
Carl said that our goal is to “maintain vigilance and intervene” so that ISIS and al Qaeda will not be able to quickly gain the ability to attack the United States.
Lieutenant Gen. James J. Mingus, commander of operations of the Joint Staff, stated that this timetable was “based on no intervention by the United States or coalition forces.”
Mingus told the committee: “Our goal is to keep this deadline at the current level if it can’t be delayed longer.”
After the US-backed Afghan government lost control of the country on August 15, the Taliban terrorist organization took complete control of Afghanistan.
The ISIS-K terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack that killed 13 American soldiers and 170 Afghan civilians during the U.S. withdrawal from Kabul Airport on August 26. Since then, the terrorist organization has also claimed responsibility for other attacks in Afghanistan, including several bombings that killed dozens of civilians.
Carl told lawmakers: “We believe that the Taliban and ISIS-K are mortal enemies.” “Therefore, the Taliban have a strong motivation to pursue ISIS-K.”
Carl said that it is unclear whether the Taliban will be able to effectively strike ISIS after the U.S. forces withdraw.
He said: “I think it remains to be determined whether they (the Taliban) are capable of doing this.”
He estimated that ISIS has “thousands of backbone” fighters. Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of the new Taliban government, said that the threat from ISIS terrorists will be resolved and Afghanistan will not become a base for attacks on other countries.
Carl said: “We have seen some signs…The Taliban are cautious about Afghanistan becoming a springboard for al Qaeda’s external attacks. The revenge of society.”
Carl believes that, given the links between Al Qaeda and the Taliban, its presence in Afghanistan poses a complex issue. It was these links between Al Qaeda and the Taliban that triggered the US military intervention in Afghanistan in 2001. Prior to this, al-Qaeda launched 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. The Taliban had sheltered al-Qaeda leaders.
After that, the United States fought the Taliban and launched attacks on ISIS and Al Qaeda.
Editor in charge: Ye Ziwei#
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