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The US government is “focusing on lasers” on the possibility of a terrorist attack in Afghanistan by groups such as the Taliban’s sworn enemy, ISIS-K, a senior government official said.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told NBC Nightly News on August 19 that the government will continue to monitor evacuation at Cabal Airport, but potential terrorist attacks from groups such as ISIS Korasan. He said he was aware of the threat. ISIS-K.
Sullivan added that expelling Americans from Afghanistan is a “dangerous operation” given the question of whether the Taliban will continue to allow people to pass safely to the airport.
“One of the laser-focused contingencies we are very focused on is, of course, the possibility of terrorist attacks by groups like the Taliban’s vowed enemy, ISIS-K. We will continue to strive to minimize risk. Maximize the number of people on the plane, “said the Taliban.
ISIS-K has been active for three years since its inception. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a Washington, DC think tank that said the group received support from ISIS terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria.
Headquartered east of Afghanistan, ISIS affiliates carried out several catastrophic attacks primarily targeting the country’s minority Shiite Muslims.
According to CSIS, the group has caused nearly 100 attacks on civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan and about 250 clashes with security forces in the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan since January 2017.
In 2018, ISIS-K terrorists were thought to be behind the attack Killed at least 68 peopleIncludes dozens of young students taking college entrance exams in the Dasht-e-Barchi district of Kabul.
In May 2020, peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said the U.S. government killed 24 people, including newborns and mothers, as the U.S. government caused ISIS-K to attack a maternity hospital in the majority of Shiite Muslims in Kabul. He said he believed he did.
On the same day, a terrorist affiliate also targeted the funeral of a pro-government military commander who killed 34 people, Khalilzad tweeted.
ISIS-K does not claim responsibility for attacks on maternity hospitals.
U.S. officials say they are working 24 hours a day to evacuate Americans and U.S. troops from Kabul, but the security situation on the ground is difficult.
Wednesday, US Embassy in Kabul Said After the Taliban militants hijacked the capital on August 15, federal government and the military could not ensure a safe passage to Kabul Airport.
“The U.S. government cannot guarantee a safe passage to Hamid Karzai International Airport,” the U.S. embassy said in a security alert issued Wednesday. “The security situation in Kabul continues to change rapidly, including at the airport. “He added.
Sullivan told NBC that it was unclear exactly how many Americans were still in the country, but the Biden administration has promised to fly Americans who want to leave.
“We are currently establishing contact with the Taliban to allow safe passage of people to the airport, which is currently working to put Americans and Afghans at risk to the airport. “He said. “That said, we can’t expect anything.”
Sullivan added that Washington “continues to work to minimize risk and maximize the number of people on the plane.”
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