Afghanistan Security Situation after the US Withdrawal
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Ruqiya Anwar
- 12 Sep 2021 18:22
- 14 Shares
3 Min Read
The present analysis attempts to explain the security consequences of the withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan.
Security is the main concern of any state. The present analysis attempts to explain the security consequences of the withdrawal of US-led forces from Afghanistan. The current security situation in Afghanistan is alarming as the United States withdraws. Significantly, Afghanistan's insecurity also generates severe problems for its neighbors. After two decades of US-led forces, the Taliban regained power. With the pullout of international troops, the conflict has entered a new phase, uncertainty and instability have emerged, and there is no definite plan to combat terrorism.
High levels of violence are alarming with the Taliban controlling the country. Afghanistan's worsening security situation would further destabilize political factions and attract regional parties to join the battle, intensifying the proxy war and providing fertile ground for violent extremism to flourish.
The Taliban have been vague about their political goals, declaring only that they want an Islamic system that includes all Afghans. They are, however, indicating for the restoration of the regime, the one they ruled in the 1990s, which has alarmed many who have lived through their dictatorial regime. According to reports, the Taliban still has ties to Al-Qaeda and ISIS, escalating the security situation and demonstrating how a Taliban victory would bolster international terrorist groups (Sakhi, Pforzheimer, 2021).
Currently, the security situation in Afghanistan is not good. Terrible results have been observed for Afghanistan's lack of a strong central government. Similarly, anarchy and a lack of centralized government are the sources of many other security risks. The Afghan law enforcement agencies would be further weakened by the US exit, as they look to the US forces for security.
The analysis revealed that there is a strong probability of a (military) confrontation in Afghanistan following the exit of US-led forces. Following the US exit from Afghanistan, the Taliban have become a major threat. The battlefield environment did not benefit Afghan security forces, as their own capabilities were unable to compensate for the withdrawal of US and NATO forces, resulting in Kabul's recent blast (Ali, 2021). A serious set of dialogue and power distribution is now required with the seriousness of the issue.
Furthermore, given the security concerns of neighboring states, the role of regional powers in Afghanistan cannot be overlooked. As a consequence, Afghanistan's security is likely to be negatively impacted; it leads to a more unstable security situation in the region.
