WASHINGTON - Afghan Taliban have defeated ISIS in eastern Afghanistan along Pakistani border, admits top Pentagon General.
The Pentagon’s top general who oversees U.S. operations in the Middle East said Tuesday that the Taliban link has been “very effective” in demolishing the Islamic State’s presence in eastern Afghanistan link.
Gen. Frank McKenzie link, commander of U.S. Central link Command, told the House Armed Services Committee that the Taliban link has been the driving force in ousting ISIS from the country with little assistance from American troops, Washington Times has reported. TOP ARTICLES2/5House Democrats can accessMueller grand jury materials, federal appeals court rules
“Over the last several months in eastern Afghanistan link, we’ve watched the Taliban link compress and crush ISIS presence on the ground in southern Nangarhar province, and they’ve been very effective doing that,” Gen. McKenzie link said.
“It was a bloody mess, but they did it,” he continued, adding that ISIS no longer holds substantial ground in Afghanistan link Nangarhar province.
Gen. McKenzie link comments come as the Pentagon begins withdrawing troops from Afghanistan link as part of a landmark peace agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban link.
He explained that the number of troops stationed in Afghanistan link will drop from roughly 13,000 to 8,600 by this summer, despite warnings that violence from outside terrorist organizations could surge with a decreased U.S. presence.
Military leaders have cautioned recently that while the ISIS caliphate has largely been defeated in the region, the organization remains active in small pockets and is still a threat to the U.S. and allies.
Gen. McKenzie link said the Taliban link has been “very effective” in ousting ISIS in “some of the worst terrain in the world,” and explained their operations were conducted with “very limited support from us.”
“They paid a very steep price in their own fighters,” he said.