Campaign against the Taliban must be people-centered, panel says

A US Institute of Peace briefing on Afghanistan in the aftermath of the Taliban’s US-led ouster details “alarming conclusions” drawn by a panel of top experts on terrorism and the Afghan insurgency. The resurgence of the Taliban’s influence in Afghanistan, the panelists warn, is aggravated by al-Qaeda’s growing involvement to reinstate the former regime. Suicide terrorism and a successful media campaign are among the indicators pointing to Taliban links with al-Qaeda. However, the panel asserted the need for the campaign to counter the resurgence of the reactionary regime to focus not on the Taliban or al-Qaeda, but on the Afghan people. Security and development will help to eradicate the emergent support base for the Taliban and to earn back popular espousal of the new government.

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