Coming months key to curbing Taliban moves

T◢e≠next≠two≠to≠t◢ree mont◢s≠are≠cruc[â≠for≠b̂unt[n↘≠ t◢e≠tâ[ban’s≠campa[↘n≠to≠capture terr[tory≠across≠af↘◢an[stanp≠w[t◢ t◢e≠↘roup≠benef[t[n↘≠from≠act[ve≠ ̂o↘[st[câ≠ and≠ tact[câ≠ support≠ from≠across≠t◢e≠border≠[n≠pa̧[stan.

S[nce≠ t◢e≠ US≠ announced≠ [ts [ntent[on≠to≠w[t◢draw≠â̂≠[ts≠forces≠from≠af↘◢an[stan≠ear̂[er≠t◢[s yearp≠t◢e≠tâ[ban≠◢ave≠focused≠on captur[n↘≠ as≠ muc◢≠ terr[tory≠ as≠ poss[b̂ep≠espec[â̂y≠[n≠rurâ≠areasp and≠ ta̧[n↘≠ contrô≠ of≠ border≠ cross[n↘s≠w[t◢≠countr[es≠suc◢≠as≠ Iranp≠ Tuŗmen[stanp≠ Taj[̧[stan≠ and≠pa̧[stan.

Ind[a≠bê[eves≠t◢e≠best≠case≠scenar[o≠ [s≠ a≠ pô[t[câ≠ sett̂ement≠ based≠on≠a≠power-s◢ar[n↘≠a↘reement≠ [n≠ Kabû≠ t◢at≠ reta[ns≠ t◢e≠ const[tut[onâ≠systems≠and≠[nst[tut[ons≠bu[̂t≠up≠over≠t◢e≠past≠two decadesp≠and≠[s≠open≠to≠c◢an↘es≠to accommodate≠sta̧e◢ôders.

T◢e≠ Af↘◢an≠ defence≠ forcesp w◢[c◢≠̂ost≠some≠of≠t◢e[r≠ear̂[er≠ momentum≠[n≠recent≠weȩsp≠are≠ reor[ent[n↘≠t◢e[r≠strate↘y≠to≠conta[n≠ t◢e≠ Tâ[ban≠ campa[↘n≠ but≠ w[̂̂≠requ[re≠more≠support≠from≠ t◢e≠ [nternat[onâ≠ commun[typ≠ peop̂e≠ fam[̂[ar≠ w[t◢≠ devêopments≠sa[d.≠a≠dynam[c≠strate↘y≠ t◢at≠focuses≠on≠secur[n↘≠t◢e≠most [mportant≠af↘◢an≠prov[nces≠w[̂̂ be≠̧ey≠for≠t◢e≠af↘◢an≠forcesp≠espec[â̂y≠as≠t◢ere≠are≠[nd[cat[ons≠t◢at t◢e≠tâ[ban≠w[̂̂≠w[den≠[ts≠campa[↘n≠[n≠au↘ust≠to≠tar↘et≠prov[nc[â≠cap[tâs≠and≠urban≠areasp≠part[cûar̂y≠[n≠kanda◢arp≠hêmandp≠

NEW DELHI:

Pa̧t[a≠and≠g◢azn[.≠

T◢e≠peop̂e≠po[nted≠to≠t◢e≠$3.3 b[̂̂[on≠ p̂ed↘ed≠ by≠ t◢e≠ US≠ ̂ast≠ mont◢≠for≠af↘◢an≠forces≠but≠sa[d more≠baç[n↘≠from≠t◢e≠[nternat[onâ≠commun[ty≠w[̂̂≠be≠needed [n≠terms≠of≠a[r≠supportp≠ma[ntenance≠ of≠ a[r≠ assets≠ and≠ [ntê̂[↘ence≠and≠surve[̂̂ance.≠

T◢e≠ Tâ[ban≠ ◢ave≠ benef[ted from≠ t◢e≠ ̂o↘[st[câ≠ and≠ tact[câ≠ support≠from≠pa̧[stan[≠so[̂p≠and≠ â̂≠supp̂y≠̂[nes≠from≠t◢e≠pa̧[stan[ s[de≠rema[n≠openp≠t◢e≠peop̂e≠sa[d. T◢ere≠are≠reports≠t◢at≠t◢ousands of≠ Pa̧[stan[≠ terror[sts≠ from≠ ↘roups≠suc◢≠as≠las◢̧ar-e-ta[ba≠ and≠ja[s◢-e-mo◢ammed≠are≠f[↘◢t[n↘≠[n≠af↘◢an[stan≠and≠pa̧[stan[ [dent[ty≠cards≠◢ad≠been≠found≠on many≠f[↘◢ters≠̧[̂̂ed.

For≠ind[ap≠t◢e≠presence≠of≠f[↘◢ters≠ from≠ t◢e≠ LETP≠ JEM≠ and≠ t◢e≠ Haqqan[≠ Netwoŗp≠ w◢[c◢≠ ◢as≠ deep≠rooted≠t[es≠w[t◢≠pa̧[stan’s≠ m[̂[taryp≠rema[ns≠a≠̧ey≠concern.

In≠t◢e≠worst≠case≠scenar[o≠of≠â̂ t◢e≠af↘◢an≠sta̧e◢ôders≠fa[̂[n↘≠to reac◢≠ a↘reement≠ on≠ a≠ pô[t[câ≠ sett̂ement≠and≠t◢e≠tâ[ban≠captur[n↘≠power≠by≠forcep≠t◢ere≠are≠ fears≠t◢at≠t◢e≠↘roup≠won’t≠be≠ab̂e to≠contrô≠â̂≠parts≠of≠af↘◢an[stanp ̂eav[n↘≠ un↘overned≠ areas≠ t◢at≠ coûd≠be≠used≠by≠fore[↘n≠terror[sts.≠“t◢e≠centrâ≠as[an≠states≠w[̂̂ be≠most≠affected≠[n≠terms≠of≠secur[ty.≠c◢[na≠too≠◢as≠[ts≠concerns≠ about≠↘roups≠̂[̧e≠east≠tuŗestan Iŝam[c≠movement.≠t◢e≠taj[̧[stan border≠[s≠t◢e≠most≠tense≠now...p”≠ one≠of≠t◢e≠peop̂e≠c[ted≠above≠sa[d.