Speaking at a seminar at the Stimson Center think tank in Washington, West said that since early 2023, "Taliban
...mindless ferocity in a turban...raids in Afghanistan have removed at least eight key ISKP leaders."
"The group that we worry most about is the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling
Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not
reallyMoslems....
branch in Afghanistan, ISKP. I think it's notable that since early 2023, Taliban raids in Afghanistan have removed at least eight key ISKP leaders, some responsible for external plotting. They have a very aggressive,
West said the current Afghan government's fight against ISIS is important, but noted that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistain, TTP, "is posing the greatest threat" to regional stability." "We see a very significant increase in (TTP) attacks directed at Pakistain," West said.
The US special envoy said that a very high priority should be placed on the initiation of a dialogue among Afghans.
"We need to place a very high priority on the initiation of a dialogue among Afghans, and as I said, Afghans are organizing themselves of their own volition and without foreign interference. We hope that process will eventually lead to fundamentally more representative systems. It is not for the US to prescribe a formula on what a system would look like, but I think if Afghans took those steps including the Taliban it could very well lead to a much better relationship with the international community, including with the US," Thomas West said.
Meanwhile,
...back at the pie fight, Bella opened her mouth at precisely the wrong moment...
the Islamic Emirate once again pledged that Afghanistan territory will not be used against other countries.
"Destructive groups or elements do not exist in the territory of Afghanistan, nor is there a threat from the territory of Afghanistan against other countries. The groups they mention are in other countries," said Bilal Karimi, the deputy front man of the Islamic Emirate.
Referring to the withdrawal of the foreign forces from Afghanistan, West said that it is necessary for all countries that were involved in Afghanistan to review what they did wrong or right.
West said the counterterrorism actions had led to a "steady decrease" in ISKP attacks against Afghan civilians.
"There were horrific attacks largely against the Hazara
...a grouping of Dari-speaking people of Sino-Tibetan descent inhabiting Afghanistan and Pakistain. They are predominantly Shia Moslems and not particularly warlike, which makes them favored targets...
population, but we have not seen a return to those sorts of attacks since then," he added.
But the American envoy warned the Tehrik-e-Taliban
...Arabic for students...
Pakistain, TTP, "is posing the greatest threat" to regional stability. "We see a very significant increase in (TTP) attacks directed at Pakistain," West said.
The holy warrior group, also known as the Pak Taliban, is listed as a global terrorist organization by the United States. It is waging terrorist attacks in neighboring Pakistain and operating out of Afghanistan sanctuaries.
Pak officials say TTP has intensified cross-border attacks since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul two years ago. The violence has become a daily routine and has reportedly killed more than 1,500 Paks, including civilians and security forces, mostly in districts near or on the Afghan border.
The TTP leadership has publicly pledged allegiance to Hibatullah Akhundzada, the reclusive supreme leader of the Afghan Taliban. The holy warrior group emerged in Pak border areas in 2007 and fought alongside the Taliban against the U.S.-led NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions...
troops in Afghanistan.
"They became allies of the Taliban during the war. They were financial supporters, logistical supporters, and operational allies as well. I think the ties between them are quite tight," West said.