Taliban may overrun Afghan govt in a year: McConnell

KABUL (Pajhwok): A senior congressional lawmaker has hit out at US President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by September 11.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) warned the presidential decision would leave the conflict-battered country vulnerable.

On Thursday, Sputnik quoted McConnell as claiming that the militant movement might overrun the Afghan government by the end of the year if US troops were withdrawn from the country.

He told journalists in Kentucky: “I think there’s a high likelihood that the Taliban will be back in control of the country, maybe as early as the end of the year.”

It would be a mistake to completely exit Afghanistan, he opined, calling for the presence of some US forces there for counterterrorism and training purposes.

In more than a year since the Doha peace agreement, the Taliban had largely avoided attacks on US and coalition forces, he acknowledged.

Also on Thursday, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the troop withdrawal procedures were moving ahead as planned.

PAN Monitor/mud