US Intelligence Agencies Warn Against More Taliban Attacks

AVA-According to US intelligence agencies, although the Afghan security forces will continue to control cities they warned that the Taliban could launch major attacks against these cities, particularly Kabul. 
US Senator Jack Reed expressed concern over what he said was Russia’s possible cooperation with the Taliban and other enemies of Washington in Afghanistan. 
“In Afghanistan, the coalition continues to confront a variety of threats from the Taliban-led insurgency as well as a variety of militant groups that call South Asia home,” said Reed. 
Dan Coats, the Director of National Intelligence, meanwhile said in his testimony before the US Senate Committee that there were concerns over a possible deterioration of security in Afghanistan in the coming months and  that the Taliban and other terrorist groups could launch complex attacks on Afghanistan from Pakistan. 
According to him, their assessments show that terrorist groups based in Pakistan will continue to use their sanctuaries and carry out more attacks on US forces. 
Robert P. Ashley, the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), meanwhile said the capabilities of Afghan security forces in their campaign against the militants will be increased. 
“Russia uses the United States as the primary threat to its national security and its geopolitical ambitions. The Kremlin seeks to establish a sphere of influence over former Soviet Union states, prevent further expansion of NATO and ensure that no major international issues are addressed without Russia’s input or at its expense,” said Ashely. 
But Russia has continued to dismiss allegations of cooperation with the Taliban. 
“At the same time, we hear reports that countries like Russia may be seeking to expand efforts to engage with our adversaries in the Taliban,” said Reed. 
“In South Asia during the past year the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANDSF) protected major population centers and denied the Taliban’s strategic gains while combating ISIS (Daesh) in the provinces as well as al-Qaeda. The ANDSF will build on its incremental success by continuing to develop offensive capabilities while the Taliban threaten the Afghan stability, undermine public confidence by conducting intermittent high profile attacks in urban areas,” added Ashley.