US top general: Taliban appear to have ‘strategic momentum’

KABUL (Pajhwok): The US top military general has warned that the Taliban appear to have "strategic momentum" in the fight for control of Afghanistan as they put increasing pressure on key cities.

General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a Pentagon press conference: "This is going to be a test now of the will and leadership of the Afghan people – the Afghan security forces and the government of Afghanistan."

The Biden administration has vowed to continue financial assistance and logistical support for Afghan forces after 31 August, but US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the focus of US military efforts there will be countering terrorist threats, not the Taliban.

Speaking alongside Gen Milley, Austin said the US will "keep an eye on" al-Qaeda. "Our major focus going forward is to make sure that violence, terrorism, cannot be exported from Afghanistan to our homeland, and so we'll maintain the capability to be able to not only observe that but also address that if it does emerge," Austin said.

He added that the Taliban pledged in 2020 to not provide a sanctuary for al-Qaeda in the future. "We expect for them to meet that commitment.” "If they want legitimacy going forward, I think that's something they'll have to consider.

It comes as President Ashraf Ghani said on Wednesday that he would increase the focus on Afghanistan security from three to six months.

According to the President, the security situation will change soon based on specific plans and programs.

The government has announced the recapture of 24 districts from the Taliban.

Gen. Ajmal Omar Shinwari, a spokesman for the Afghan National Security Forces, said most of security forces had switched from defensive to offensive posture and some areas had been recaptured from the Taliban.

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