US General terms regrouping of terrorists Pakistan's biggest worry

ISLAMABAD: As the Biden administration announced pulling out its troops from Afghanistan, Pakistan may be the worst affected as regrouping of terrorist would be its biggest concern, a United States General has warned.

"After the US withdrawal, the biggest threat would be the regrouping of Al-Qaeda and IS militants, who will be able to regenerate if pressure is not kept on them. That's very concerning to all the neighbouring states, biggest concern to Pakistan", said General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. Commander US Central Command (Centcom).

General Mckenzie also revealed that his command, along with the American diplomats were in contact with neighbouring nations around Afghanistan, to base its troops and aircrafts, assigned to counter terrorists after the US withdraws from Afghanistan.

"That would be ultimately a decision made at the national level by the United States if we were to seek basing rights in those countries," said the general.

"I'm actually conducting detailed planning, by the direction of the secretary, to look at those options rights now. I will report back to him by the end of the month with some alternatives", he added highlighting that the US is weighing workable options of being able to conduct anti-terrorism activities without being in Afghanistan.

General Mckenzie insisted that regrouping of terrorists groups was not only a threat to the US and Pakistan only, adding that "it is a concern to all the Central Asian states to the north".

"It is even of concern to Iran in the West, I believe. Everyone has vested interest in a stable Afghanistan", he said. It is pertinent to mention here that the US forces have operated their drone missions from Pakistan during the early phase of the war in Afghanistan. They were operating from the Shamsi airfield in Balochistan.

As per details of the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in concerned, reports claim that Pentagon has already started the process and had approved deployment of hundreds of maritime, air and land forces to the region, aimed at ensuring security of American and NATO forces. (IANS)

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