UN Report Warns of Impending Taliban Power Play

The Taliban appear poised to take by force what they do not get through negotiations once U.S. and coalition troops complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan, according to a new assessment based on intelligence from United Nations member states.  #alQaida in the Indian Subcontinent "reported to be such an 'organic' or essential part of the insurgency that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to separate it from its #Taliban allies" per @UN report

The report, issued Thursday by the U.N. sanctions monitoring team for Afghanistan, warns that while the Taliban are still technically in compliance with the terms of last year's agreement with the United States, they have tightened their grip on power, exercising direct control over more than half of the country's district administrative centers while contesting or controlling up to 70% of territory outside of urban areas.  And U.N. member state intelligence agencies caution this may be just the beginning.  "Taliban rhetoric and reports of active Taliban preparations for the spring fighting season indicate the group is likely to increase military operations for 2021, whether or not a spring offensive is announced," the U.N. report said.