West ‘losing control’ as extremists make advances
PAKISTAN/AFGHANISTAN: Pakistan’s military has warned Donald Trump’s new generals that they face a ‘‘total mess’’ in Afghanistan unless America and Britain can halt the advance of Isis and the Taliban.
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, a senior Pakistani army source said the collapse in security since the draw-down of Western troops meant the West now faced ‘‘losing control’’.
The comments will add to growing concern in Washington and London about the reversal of the hard-won gains made by coalition troops during the 16-year Afghan campaign.
Districts of Helmand province, where more than 100 British troops died, have again slipped from Kabul’s control, while in east Afghanistan, militants are regrouping under Isis.
Neighbouring Pakistan was long accused of backing the Taliban and other militant groups through its powerful security establishment, which saw them as pawns to counter Indian influence.
But increasing terrorist attacks on Pakistan itself has led to the army launching massive operations in the past two years to clear extremists from its mountainous Afghan border.
Pakistan’s generals fear their own efforts to fight militants which have cost the lives of nearly 4000 troops - will be jeopardised by setbacks in Afghanistan.
Such claims may get limited sympathy in the US. Last month, General John Nicholson, the head of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan, told Congress that certain Afghan militant groups, including the Taliban, still enjoyed sanctuary in Pakistan.
‘‘It is very difficult to succeed on the battlefield when your enemy enjoys external support and safe haven,’’ he said.
The source within the Pakistani army, which has 180,000 troops on the Afghan border, said that in recent weeks, discussions had taken place with Nicholson and James Mattis, the retired US general appointed by Trump as secretary of defence. Nicholson admitted last month that Afghan forces which are mentored by a scaleddown coalition force of 13,000 were now in a ‘‘stalemate’’ against the Taliban. The Pakistani source said even that was an ‘‘optimistic’’ assessment.
‘‘A stalemate is still a win for the Taliban,’’ he said.
‘‘We have told Mattis that Afghanistan is slipping out of control, and that if things are not put right, America will have a huge crisis on its hands.
‘‘Islamic State is also developing there, and if they leave Syria and Iraq, the next place to gather is Afghanistan.’’ - Telegraph Group