After implicit vindication: Conflict over Biden’s statements about absence of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan

Mostafa Mohamed

Conflict erupted in Afghanistan about the presence of al-Qaeda in the country after US President Joe Biden’s tacit vindication of the ruling Taliban movement that the terrorist organization does not exist on its soil, while a report issued by the United Nations Sanctions Monitoring Team confirms that the presence of al-Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan cannot be denied. Observers of Afghan affairs point out that with the Taliban’s return to power in the country again, armed groups, led by al-Qaeda, are allowed to re-establish their presence in Afghanistan.

Discrepancy

Citing the UN report, the Long War Journal revealed that, contrary to the claims of the American president, Afghanistan is a safe haven for al-Qaeda, which has close relations with the Taliban.

President Biden had said that, in cooperation with the Taliban, the al-Qaeda network is no longer present in Afghanistan, claiming that the United States requested assistance from the Taliban to eliminate the presence of the terrorist organization in the country.

The Long War Journal showed the discrepancy surrounding Biden’s statements, confirming that the UN Sanctions Monitoring Team’s report shows that Biden is wrong and that the presence of al-Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan cannot be denied.

The report also revealed that a number of senior members of al-Qaeda work in the Taliban government, having been appointed to advisory positions and to the security and administrative structures of the Taliban. It confirmed that Qari Ehsanullah Baryal and Hafiz Muhammad Agha Hakeem are the Taliban governors in Kapisa and Nuristan, respectively, while Taj Mir Jawad is the deputy head of intelligence, and all of them are well-known jihadists who served al-Qaeda.

The United Nations estimated in its report that at least 400 al-Qaeda fighters are in Afghanistan, along with 2,000 family members.

Acknowledgment of reality

The Taliban Foreign Ministry commented on the Biden’s statements regarding the absence of armed groups in Afghanistan, considering it an acknowledgment of reality, and that this refutes the recent report of the UN Sanctions Monitoring Team alleging the presence and activity of more than twenty armed groups in Afghanistan.

According to the report, the al-Qaeda network is currently training elements of the Pakistani Taliban movement in six provinces: Helmand, Zabul, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Badghis, and Kunar. It also manages safe havens in the provinces of Farah, Helmand, Herat, and Kabul, in addition to a media operations center in Herat.

Conflict inside Afghanistan

On the other hand, Ahmed Sayed Abu Salima, a researcher of Afghan affairs, confirmed that there is a conflict within Afghanistan about US President Joe Biden’s statements that there is no al-Qaeda organization in Afghanistan, which removes the curtain about his country’s cooperation with the Taliban and the latter’s claim that it expelled the “occupier” from the country, which its leaders have stated they are proud of, even though it is secretly cooperating with the United States while it destroyed Afghanistan destroyed because of al-Qaeda and now for the sake of power is standing against the terrorist organization.

In exclusive statements to the Reference, Abu Salima explained that the vindication only came implicitly and not in declared statements to confirm the matter about the lack of al-Qaeda’s presence in Afghanistan; however, with the return of the movement to rule the country again, it allows armed groups, led by al-Qaeda, to re-establish their presence in Afghanistan.