SULAIMANI (ESTA) — U.S. intelligence agencies have told President Joe Biden administration that the Taliban could overrun most of Afghanistan within two to three years if U.S. troops leave before a power-sharing deal is reached between the warring sides, according to a news report.
The New York Times cited U.S. officials as saying that such a takeover potentially would allow al Qaeda to rebuild in Afghanistan.
Biden is deciding whether to meet a May 1 deadline for the withdrawal of the last 3,500 American troops that was set in February 2020 accord struck with the Taliban under his predecessor Donald Trump, according to Reuters.
The Times said some U.S. who have favor keeping American troops in Afghanistan were using the intelligence report to argue that the soldiers should remain beyond the deadline.
Biden on Thursday told his first White House news conference that it would be hard to comply with the deadline, which also requires the departure of some 7,000 allied forces.
At the same time, Biden said he “could not picture” U.S. troops being in the country next year.
The Taliban on Friday said it would resume hostilities against foreign forces – which ended under the U.S.-Taliban deal – if they remain beyond the deadline.
Violence has remained high, despite peace talks between Afghan government and the Taliban which started in September in Doha.
Kabul and some foreign governments and agencies accuse the Taliban of failing to meet conditions due to escalated violence and a failure to cut ties with militant groups such as Al Qaeda, which the Taliban denies.
The administration of then-President Donald Trump signed an agreement with the Taliban early last year calling for the withdrawal of all foreign troops by May in return for the insurgent’s fulfilling certain security guarantees.
