Lack Of Leadership & Global Support Plague Taliban’s Opponents, Say US Intel Agencies

According to US intelligence agencies, the potential for significant resistance against the Taliban appears dim, largely because a major portion of the Afghan population is exhausted by ongoing conflicts and the Taliban's punitive actions.

Furthermore, the report highlights that the factions opposing the Taliban are struggling due to a lack of strong leadership and international support.

The annual assessment of threats to US national security, released on Monday, notes that the Taliban has consolidated its power in Afghanistan and effectively quelled opposition forces.

Since assuming control in August 2021, at least two anti-Taliban military groups have initiated operations against the regime, particularly focusing on the country's northern areas.

These groups, namely the Afghanistan Freedom Front and the National Resistance Front, sporadically report on their guerrilla tactics against the Taliban. Despite their efforts, the Taliban has managed to eliminate key members and commanders of these groups, branding them as rebels.

Ahmad Massoud, who leads the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan, has been actively engaging in international discussions, participating in meetings in cities like Moscow and Vienna to garner support.

Earlier, in a notable announcement, the Afghanistan Freedom Front claimed responsibility for the deaths of 592 Taliban members and the injury of 699 others over the past two years, showcasing their ongoing resistance.

Despite these efforts, the US intelligence report indicates that the Taliban regime has not only suppressed opposition, but also enhanced its diplomatic engagements globally. However, the report criticises the regime's neglect of Afghanistan's dire humanitarian and economic situation.

The intelligence agencies criticise the Taliban's stringent policies, including the ban on girls' education and the public punishment of dissenters, which continue to suppress basic freedoms and rights.

The international stance, as per the report, remains cautious, with regional powers focusing on containing Afghanistan's issues within its borders while carefully navigating their relationships with the Taliban.

The report also warns of the ISIS-Khorasan's intentions to destabilise the region by targeting foreign interests in Afghanistan, thereby challenging the Taliban's legitimacy.

Despite the Taliban's claims of having subdued ISIS in Afghanistan, the latter has been responsible for numerous attacks, including a significant assault on the Russian embassy in Kabul.

ISIS has not only targeted foreign entities, but also perpetrated attacks against ethnic Hazaras and Shiites, underscoring the persistent threat it poses in the region.

A recent UN Security Council report corroborates the ongoing threat of ISIS in Afghanistan, contradicting the Taliban's assertions of victory over the group, and highlighting the continued instability in the region.