Isis in Afghanistan could be able to attack US in 6 months: Pentagon official
- US official doubts Taliban’s ability to fight ‘mortal enemy’ Isis in Afghanistan
- Isis threat to US a real possibility in six months, US intelligence claims
The US intelligence community has assessed that Islamic State in Afghanistan could have the capability to attack the United States in as little as six months, and has the intention to do so, a senior Pentagon official told Congress on Tuesday.
The remarks by Colin Kahl, under secretary of defence for policy, are the latest reminder that Afghanistan could still pose serious national security concerns for the United States even after it ended its two-decade-old war in defeat in August.
The Taliban, which won the war, are enemies of Isis and have seen its attempts to impose law and order after the US pull-out thwarted by suicide bombings and other attacks claimed by Isis.
They include bombings targeting the minority Shiite sect and even an Isis beheading of a member of a Taliban militia force in the eastern city of Jalalabad.
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Kahl said it was still unclear whether the Taliban has the ability to fight Islamic State effectively following the US withdrawal in August. The United States fought the Taliban as well as striking groups like Isis and al-Qaeda.
“It is our assessment that the Taliban and Isis-K are mortal enemies. So the Taliban is highly motivated to go after Isis-K. Their ability to do so, I think, is to be determined,” Kahl said, using an acronym for Isis in Afghanistan.