Afghan security forces are likely to prevail against the current Taliban onslaught, forcing the insurgents into a military stalemate, the head of Britain’s military has said.
Gen Sir Nick Carter said the extremists are losing significantly more fighters than Afghan troops as they attempt to seize a major city.
The National also understands that the Afghan government is seeking advisers from private military companies to help train and support its forces.
The possibility of avoiding military defeat to the Taliban will be a significant development for the government, particularly if it holds the besieged Helmand provincial capital of Lashkar Gah.
However, former British military chiefs have told The National that the city is likely to fall in days, leading to a collapse of army morale and capitulation to the Taliban, with Afghanistan once more becoming a “safe haven” for terrorists.
But when General Carter was asked by the BBC if government forces were facing defeat he responded: “There is a real risk that we're giving far too much legitimacy to the Taliban movement.”
He argued that if the Afghan government could “stand on its own two feet” and “create a military stalemate” then the insurgents would negotiate. “It will force the Taliban to recognise that they have to compromise and we will end up with political talks,” he said.
However, he did accept that if the Taliban prevailed Afghanistan could become a “failed state”, but he said: “We have to get behind the current Afghan government and support them in what they are trying to do and if they can achieve a military stalemate, then there will have to be a political compromise.”
The Taliban’s advances in the countryside were not a major concern as the majority of the population lives in the cities. “I'm not surprised that the Taliban have made progress in the rural areas, the question of course is whether they can hold them,” he said.
The Chief of the Defence Staff was also asked if reports that Al Qaeda and other foreign groups fighting alongside the Taliban could once again lead to terrorist attacks in Europe and America.
“I think we all know that when you end up with vacuums like Afghanistan was in security terms before 2001 there is inevitably the risk that you'll end up with these vacuums being filled by terrorists and nefarious elements,” Gen Carter replied.
The officer, who twice served in Afghanistan and who has a strong personal relationship with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, said he had been told that despite the Taliban taking over 10 districts of Lashkar Gah, they were suffering “very significant casualties at the moment”.
“I spoke to President Ghani on Sunday evening and he was somewhat reassured that the Afghan military are taking far fewer casualties at the moment,” he said. “It's often much harder to be the attacker than the defender.”
The Afghan people were also uniting in their opposition to having harsh Taliban rule reimposed on them. “If they can come together and demonstrate real unity then there's absolutely every reason to suggest that the Afghan government can prevail,” Gen Carter said.
While security sources have indicated foreign military contractors could be used in Afghanistan it is also hoped that US President Joe Biden will continue to allow the use of US special forces and aircraft to keep the Taliban at bay.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Name: James Mullan
Nationality: Irish
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Read more about the coronavirus
Plan to boost public schools
A major shake-up of government-run schools was rolled out across the country in 2017. Known as the Emirati School Model, it placed more emphasis on maths and science while also adding practical skills to the curriculum.
It was accompanied by the promise of a Dh5 billion investment, over six years, to pay for state-of-the-art infrastructure improvements.
Aspects of the school model will be extended to international private schools, the education minister has previously suggested.
Recent developments have also included the introduction of moral education - which public and private schools both must teach - along with reform of the exams system and tougher teacher licensing requirements.
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
UAE v Ireland
1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets
2nd ODI, January 12
3rd ODI, January 14
4th ODI, January 16
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
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Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
The five pillars of Islam
The years Ramadan fell in May
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
McIlroy's struggles in 2016/17
European Tour: 6 events, 16 rounds, 5 cuts, 0 wins, 3 top-10s, 4 top-25s, 72,5567 points, ranked 16th
PGA Tour: 8 events, 26 rounds, 6 cuts, 0 wins, 4 top-10s, 5 top-25s, 526 points, ranked 71st
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
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