WASHINGTON – Afghan Taliban have defeated ISIS in eastern Afghanistan alongPakistani border, admits top Pentagon General.
The Pentagon’s top general who oversees U.S. operations in the Middle Eastsaid Tuesday that the Talibanlink has been “very effective”in demolishing the Islamic State’s presence in eastern Afghanistanlink.
Gen. Frank McKenzie link,commander of U.S. Centrallink Command, told theHouse Armed Services Committee that the Talibanlink has been the drivingforce in ousting ISIS from the country with little assistance from Americantroops, Washington Times has reported. TOP ARTICLES2/5House Democrats can accessMueller grand jury materials,federal appeals court rules
“Over the last several months in eastern Afghanistanlink, we’ve watched theTaliban link compress andcrush ISIS presence on the ground in southern Nangarhar province, andthey’ve been very effective doing that,” Gen. McKenzielink said.
“It was a bloody mess, but they did it,” he continued, adding that ISIS nolonger holds substantial ground in Afghanistanlink Nangarhar province.
Gen. McKenzie linkcomments come as the Pentagon begins withdrawing troops from Afghanistanlink as part of a landmarkpeace agreement between the U.S. and the Talibanlink.
Read Top Stories
He explained that the number of troops stationed in Afghanistanlink will drop fromroughly 13,000 to 8,600 by this summer, despite warnings that violence fromoutside terrorist organizations could surge with a decreased U.S. presence.
Military leaders have cautioned recently that while the ISIS caliphate haslargely been defeated in the region, the organization remains active insmall pockets and is still a threat to the U.S. and allies.
Gen. McKenzie link saidthe Taliban link has been“very effective” in ousting ISIS in “some of the worst terrain in theworld,” and explained their operations were conducted with “very limitedsupport from us.”
“They paid a very steep price in their own fighters,” he said.
