After US withdrawal, Pak's relation with Taliban to be more complicated: Top US General
Sep 28, 2021
Washington [US], September 29 : After the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Pakistan's relation with the Taliban will become more complicated in the near future, a top US military official said during a congressional testimony on Tuesday (local time).
US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General Kenneth McKenzie said in congressional testimony on Tuesday, "I believe Pakistan's relationship with the Taliban is going to become significantly more complicated as a result of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan," Sputnik reported.
He also emphasised that Islamabad will see pressure moving into the country from Afghanistan in ways that were more easily deflected before due to the US presence there.
During the testimony, another top US General Mark Milley said that Washington "would have gone into war with the Taliban if it had stayed after the August 31 deadline".
Both generals also disputed Biden's claim that al-Qaeda is gone from Afghanistan.
Underlining the concerns over Afghanistan's future, General McKenzie said that it's 'yet to be seen' if terrorists can be stopped from using Afghan soil as the launchpad", according to Sputnik.
On August 31, the US completed the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan under the Doha accord it signed with the Taliban last year.
The top military officials have appeared first time before the Senate after the Afghanistan pullout.
