On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that the United States will hold the Taliban accountable if Afghanistan becomes a source of threat. He stated in a tweet that the Taliban committed to preventing terrorist groups from using Afghanistan as a base for operations that could threaten the United States or its allies, affirming that Washington would hold the movement accountable if it did otherwise.
Blinken's warnings coincide with U.S. intelligence observing signs of movement by al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, indicating that the organization could begin to threaten America within this year. U.S. intelligence also noted the recent return of senior leaders of the organization to Afghanistan, while officials clarified that the Pentagon is reviewing its timeline related to this extremist group's return to Afghanistan.
With its complete withdrawal from Afghanistan, the United States continues to monitor Afghan airspace using high-tech drones to track any movements of terrorist groups or organizations seeking to fill the American void in the country. After being an open operational theater for U.S. forces and intelligence for the past two decades, the situation has changed drastically post-withdrawal. The withdrawal has deprived Washington of the freedom of movement on the ground and even in the air, thereby affecting its ability to spy on terrorist organizations and complicating targeting efforts due to a lack of intelligence.
According to "Al Arabiya" sources, Washington is continuing monitoring operations in Afghanistan, relying on human capabilities on the ground, in addition to electronic surveillance and aerial scans. Returning to Blinken, regarding the withdrawal from Afghanistan, he reiterated that President Joe Biden's administration inherited an agreement with the Taliban from the Trump administration for withdrawal, but did not inherit a plan for it.
Blinken stated during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing that U.S. forces secured Kabul airport within twenty-four hours to commence evacuation operations, noting that evacuation documents faced forgery, which required time for investigation. Regarding the collapse of the Afghan government and army within eleven days, Blinken said this scenario was unexpected and no indicators suggested it, pointing to the Taliban's pledge to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghanistan to attack the United States.
