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Security In Afghanistan Likely To 'Deteriorate': U.S Intel Chief

The United States Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats offered a pessimistic assessment on Thursday of the security situation in Afghanistan, where the U.S government is planning to send more troops to combat resurgent militants, AFP reported.

“The political and security situation in Afghanistan will also almost certainly deteriorate through 2018, even with a modest increase in the military assistance by the US and its partners,” he said at a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

“Afghanistan will struggle to curb its dependence on external support until it contains the insurgency or reaches a peace agreement with the Taliban,” Coats told lawmakers in presenting an annual assessment of threats to U.S national security.

Meanwhile, Gen. Vincent Stewart, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said if the situation was not addressed, the U.S-led alliance risked losing the fragile gains it had made during the protracted conflict.

“Unless we change something… the situation will continue to deteriorate and we’ll lose all the gains that we’ve invested in over the last several years,” he said.

That new beefing-up of efforts would include sending US and NATO advisers at brigade and battalion level to help Afghan commanders coordinate troop movements with artillery, intelligence or close air support, he said.

“The Taliban is likely to continue to make gains, especially in rural areas,” said the US spy chief, adding that efforts to bolster local military have been less fruitful than hoped. “Afghan security forces’ performance will probably worsen due to a combination of Taliban operations, combat casualties, desertions, poor logistics support, weak leadership,” he said. “Afghanistan will struggle to curb its dependence on external support until it contains the insurgency or reaches a peace agreement with the Taliban.”

Commenting on the U.S official’s remarks, President Ashraf Ghani’s deputy spokesman Dawakhan Minapal, said: “There are 20 terrorist groups in Afghanistan. Fighting the terror groups is not only the responsibly of Afghan Security and Defense Forces but it needs an international and regional level combat.”

Security In Afghanistan Likely To 'Deteriorate': U.S Intel Chief

The U.S Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats says the political and security situation in Afghanistan will almost certainly deteriorate through 2018

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The United States Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats offered a pessimistic assessment on Thursday of the security situation in Afghanistan, where the U.S government is planning to send more troops to combat resurgent militants, AFP reported.

“The political and security situation in Afghanistan will also almost certainly deteriorate through 2018, even with a modest increase in the military assistance by the US and its partners,” he said at a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

“Afghanistan will struggle to curb its dependence on external support until it contains the insurgency or reaches a peace agreement with the Taliban,” Coats told lawmakers in presenting an annual assessment of threats to U.S national security.

Meanwhile, Gen. Vincent Stewart, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, said if the situation was not addressed, the U.S-led alliance risked losing the fragile gains it had made during the protracted conflict.

“Unless we change something… the situation will continue to deteriorate and we’ll lose all the gains that we’ve invested in over the last several years,” he said.

That new beefing-up of efforts would include sending US and NATO advisers at brigade and battalion level to help Afghan commanders coordinate troop movements with artillery, intelligence or close air support, he said.

“The Taliban is likely to continue to make gains, especially in rural areas,” said the US spy chief, adding that efforts to bolster local military have been less fruitful than hoped. “Afghan security forces’ performance will probably worsen due to a combination of Taliban operations, combat casualties, desertions, poor logistics support, weak leadership,” he said. “Afghanistan will struggle to curb its dependence on external support until it contains the insurgency or reaches a peace agreement with the Taliban.”

Commenting on the U.S official’s remarks, President Ashraf Ghani’s deputy spokesman Dawakhan Minapal, said: “There are 20 terrorist groups in Afghanistan. Fighting the terror groups is not only the responsibly of Afghan Security and Defense Forces but it needs an international and regional level combat.”

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