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Taliban control more territory in Afghanistan than at any point since 2001, US inspector says

Afghan Voice Agency(AVA) , 1 Nov 2018 - 15:03

The Taliban have strengthened their grip in Afghanistan over the past three years, according to a new report released by the US government's own ombudsman of the war.


In its quarterly report for the US Congress, the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) said, "The Taliban now controls more territory than at any time since 2001."
The Afghan government currently controls or influences only 55.5% of the country's districts, marking the lowest level recorded since SIGAR began tracking district control in November 2015.

Translated into layman's terms, the report measures "control" -- in which one side runs an area -- and "influence" -- in which one side has the upper hand.
In November 2015, the Afghan government controlled 72% of districts in the country, but now controls just 56% of them. Insurgent influence or control has risen to 12.5% of districts from just 7% and approximately a third of Afghanistan is a "contested" area.
The official figures offer a glimpse into the Afghan army's loosening grip in the face of a determined, sustained Taliban insurgency and a bleak outlook for America's involvement in the war -- now in its 17th year.
The war in Afghanistan is the only US foreign policy issue on which US President Donald Trump has delivered a lengthy personal delineation of policy and goals. In August 2017 he said: "One way or another, these problems will be solved — I'm a problem solver — and, in the end, we will win."

 


Story Code: 173372

News Link :
https://www.avapress.com/en/news/173372/taliban-control-more-territory-in-afghanistan-than-at-any-point-since-2001-us-inspector-says

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