Gandhara, 22 Apil 2021
This article in the RFE/RL Afghanistan-Pakistan blog quotes AAN’s Ali Adili:
Ali Adili, a researcher at the Afghanistan Analysts Network, an independent think tank in Kabul, says the international military presence kept in check many of the country’s former strongmen, who received high-ranking roles within the government in a nod to national unity after the U.S.-led invasion in 2001.
But he says that could change after foreign troops leave.
“The possibility that these power brokers might fall back to unpredictable behavior cannot be ruled out,” says Adili. “Especially if the international military withdrawal is accompanied by international political disengagement from Afghanistan.”
(…)
Adili of the Afghanistan Analysts Network says there are several reasons why ethnic militias are rearming and reappearing.
“Certain communities will rely on these figures for protection in a scenario in which the peace process falls apart and the state apparatus breaks down,” he says.
“Ethnic communities also want to maximize their leverage — either in negotiations over a peace settlement or on the battlefield if the Taliban attempts a military takeover of the country.”
Revisions:
This article was last updated on 23 Apr 2021
