War on Terrorism Update: Afghanistan, Syria and the Sahara

Afghanistan: There were widespread protests against the Taliban militia since they seized power in Afghanistan following the American and NATO withdrawal, particularly about their repression of women and against Pakistan’s support of the Taliban. The Taliban suppressed the protests with beatings and arrests of participants and journalists. When they were in power the first time, the Taliban had harbored the al-Qaeda Islamist terrorists responsible for the September 11 Terrorist Attacks, the deadliest in history, among many other attacks. The U.S. and an international coalition removed the Taliban from power and trained the new representative Afghan government to prevent the Taliban from returning to power and again providing safe haven to terrorists. The Taliban and al-Qaeda remain allies and the Pakistani-created Taliban have again been engaging in oppression, despite their promises. Some ethnic Tajik militiamen, former Afghan army and police made a three-week stand in the Panjshir Valley before the Taliban seized it, but the resistance forces remain in the province. The protests were encouraged by the resistance, which urged Afghans to rise up against the Taliban, who are re-imposing a harsh interpretation of Islamic law alien to Afghans, and who do not represent the majority of Afghanistan’s ethnic diversity. There have also been attacks by ethnic Hazara militiamen against the Taliban, who oppressed the Shi’ite Hazara previously. Meanwhile, the al-Qaeda offshoot, the Islamic State, has also been attacking the Taliban. The United States continues to fly drones over Afghanistan. The Taliban militia claim the flights violate their agreement with the U.S. and have threatened consequences. Being able to use drones to launch missiles is an important tactical capability the Americans need to strike al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, which will be more difficult without a base in the landlocked country and without adequate intelligence and after betraying allies. Meanwhile, the U.S. is continuing to freeze Afghan assets. No international state is recognizing the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. Syria: There was an American strike last month that killed al-Qaeda leaders in Syria. The strike signifies that the U.S. is continuing the War on Terrorism, even after withdrawing from Afghanistan. Sahara: The French killed the leader of the Islamic State in the Sahara last month.