Fifteen Years After 9/11, Afghan War Has No End in Sight

Fifteen Years After 9/11, Afghan War Has No End in Sight
US military personnel lower the US flag at a memorial ceremony in honour of the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington DC, at the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters in Kabul on September 11, 2016. WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP/Getty Images
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Fifteen years after the Twin Towers were brought down by terrorist attacks on 9/11, the war in Afghanistan rages on.

Taliban and other insurgent groups have gained momentum against U.S.-backed Afghan security forces and pose a serious threat in 116 out of the country’s 384 districts, said Timor Sharan, senior Afghanistan analyst for International Crisis Group, citing official Afghan sources.

“This gives a clear indication of the growing insurgency that is seriously challenging the Afghan government in many different parts of the country,” he said.

The core challenge is political, rather than martial, say experts. The National Unity Government (NUG) of Afghanistan has been plagued by internal squabbling, making it less effective against the insurgency.

As a result, the security forces have lower morale, and much of the country is contested.

Courtesy of <a href="https://www.stratfor.com" target="_blank">Stratfor.com</a>
Courtesy of Stratfor.com