The troops waging America's 17-year-old war in Afghanistan are confronting a puzzle: What has become of the enemy who drew them there? Al Qaeda, the group whose Sept. 11 terrorist attacks provoked the U.S. invasion in 2001, has shrunk to relative obscurity among the military’s other missions in Afghanistan, supplanted by newer threats such as a local branch of the Islamic State. And it is a matter of debate how much Al Qaeda’s remaining Afghan presence still focuses on launching attacks overseas, according to current and former military officers and government officials, experts, and Afghans from areas where the group operates.Story Continued Below Only a small portion of the 15,000 American troops in Afghanistan are involved in the counterterrorism mission that the military calls its “core objective” there. Even fewer of those are hunting Al Qaeda, whose presence in the country has dwindled after years of drone strikes. Instead, U.S. special operations forces … [Read more...] about Whatever happened to Al Qaeda in Afghanistan?
Afghanistan
US commando dies after explosion in southern Afghanistan
Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press Updated 3:02 pm PDT, Monday, August 13, 2018 Photo: AP Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 This image proved by the Army show Sgt. 1st Class Reymund Rarogal Transfiguracion, 36, from Waikoloa, Hawaii. The U.S. military says the Army special forces soldier died Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018, from wounds he received earlier this month in southern Afghanistan. He was wounded when an improvised explosive device detonated near him while he was on patrol. (U.S. Army via AP) less This image proved by the Army show Sgt. 1st Class Reymund Rarogal Transfiguracion, 36, from Waikoloa, Hawaii. The U.S. military says the Army special forces soldier died Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018, from wounds he ... more Photo: AP US commando dies after explosion in southern Afghanistan 1 / 1 Back to Gallery … [Read more...] about US commando dies after explosion in southern Afghanistan
Taliban travel from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan for talks
Kathy Gannon, Associated Press Updated 10:46 am PDT, Saturday, August 11, 2018 Photo: Craig Ruttle, AP Image 1of/1 CaptionClose Image 1 of 1 FILE - In this Sept. 23, 2016 file photo, Uzbekistan's Minister for Foreign Affairs Abdulaziz Kamilov addresses the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, at U.N. headquarters. Taliban and Uzbek officials say the head of the Taliban's political office in Qatar led a delegation to Uzbekistan to meet senior Foreign Ministry officials in a rare diplomatic foray, and the strongest sign yet of the insurgency's increasing political presence in the region. Taliban political chief Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai represented the insurgents in the four-day talks that ended Friday, Aug. 10, 2018. less FILE - In this Sept. 23, 2016 file photo, Uzbekistan's Minister for Foreign Affairs Abdulaziz Kamilov addresses the 71st session of the United Nations General … [Read more...] about Taliban travel from Afghanistan to Uzbekistan for talks
Czech leaders honor 3 service members killed in Afghanistan
Updated 8:45 am PDT, Wednesday, August 8, 2018 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-3', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 3', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: Petr David Josek, AP Image 1of/3 CaptionClose Image 1 of 3 Soldiers carry coffins containing the bodies of three fallen service members during a ceremony at the Prague's Vaclav Havel Airport, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. The three soldiers were killed while on a foot patrol as part of a NATO forces near the Bagram military base in the province of Parwan in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday. less Soldiers carry coffins containing the bodies of three fallen service members during a ceremony at the Prague's Vaclav Havel Airport, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. The three soldiers were … [Read more...] about Czech leaders honor 3 service members killed in Afghanistan
Taliban begs America for support in defeating ISIS in Afghanistan after the group was crushed by the West
THE Taliban has asked the US to help it destroy ISIS in Afghanistan as it prepares for a massive assault to drive the terror group out of the country. Militants have requested that America stops airstrikes on the eastern province of Nangarhar, an ISIS stronghold, to avoid hitting its troops during the battle. ISIS fighters surrender to government forces in Afghanistan as Taliban ask US forces for help to finish them off The move comes amid fledgling peace talks between the Taliban and the US after the two sides agreed to a ceasefire over the Eid festival last year, the Times reports. A bloody assault on ISIS territories in three districts is expected to be launched this week and could last for several weeks. The Taliban's fearsome Red Unit, a Special Forces-style commando team, will spearhead the battle in the mountainous terrain. One fighter told the Times: "The Red Unit commando fighters will participate in the Nangarhar operation. They are already fighting against IS in other … [Read more...] about Taliban begs America for support in defeating ISIS in Afghanistan after the group was crushed by the West