Afghanistan has become a hub for ISIS terrorism, with the group planning attacks in Europe and Asia and plotting against the United States, Washington Post reports.
The intelligence suggests that ISIS plans to target embassies, churches, business centers, and events such as the World Cup. The group planned to attack embassies in Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Tajikistan, as revenge for the burning of the Koran by far-right activists in Sweden and the Netherlands.
Pentagon warns that ISIS is developing cost-effective external operations that rely on resources outside Afghanistan and fighters in target countries. The group also has extensive networks of partners and connections to individuals with aerospace and chemical engineering skills. Despite these capabilities, the Pentagon suggests that ISIS's lack of experience will limit their production to small-scale conventional explosives, and biological, or chemical weapons for the foreseeable future.
The leaked information may be used by Republican congressmen to criticize the White House's decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. However, the US National Security Council has stated that Washington is capable of destroying terrorists and conducting counter-terrorism operations to eliminate future threats.
The decision to withdraw US troops from Afghanistan was made during the presidency of Donald Trump, and current President Joe Biden has stated his intention to fulfill the terms of the agreement. The Taliban took control of Afghanistan after the US withdrawal, and a suicide bombing at the Kabul airport resulted in the deaths of 13 American soldiers and many Afghan civilians. Trump criticized the withdrawal, calling it the "most shameful event in the history of our country."
ISIS is a declared terrorist organization by multiple countries and international organizations.
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