"[The US withdrawal is] certainly not considered good news in China. Once the U.S. absolves itself from the material and moral responsibilities to Afghanistan, its approach to the country could become more flexible, pragmatic, and tactical in serving a broader agenda."
"For the past 20 years, China has demonstrated a contradictory attitude toward the U.S. presence in Afghanistan. On the one hand, China has seen America’s war, presence, and “manipulation” or “distortion” of Afghan politics as the cause of instability."
"[at the same time] China has consistently seen the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as godsends that blessed China with a golden “window of strategic opportunity” to develop its strength without alarming the United States after 2001."
.@NicRobertsonCNN & @SaleemMehsud report: "In an exclusive interview...al Qaeda official tells CNN that "war against the US will be continuing on all other fronts unless they are expelled from the rest of the Islamic world."" 1/n cnn.com/2021/04/30/asi…
"...al Qaeda's spokesperson heaps praise on the Taliban for keeping the fight against America alive. "Thanks to Afghans for the protection of comrades-in-arms, many such jihadi fronts have been successfully operating in different parts of the Islamic world for a long time...""
"Through journalistic intermediaries, CNN stringer Saleem Mehsud reached out to al Qaeda for its reaction to Biden's move to pull out troops from Afghanistan, and rather than ignore him as it has done so many times in the past, representatives answered."
Al-Qaeda is unlikely to direct mass-casualty attacks in the US homeland in 2021 but online communication between AQAP and Pensacola attacker shows the ability of the group to capitalize on opportunities.
Al-Qaeda's appeal to Salafi jihadists has waned due to ISIS, unlikely to change in 2021; Zawahiri remains in hiding (so alive?).
.@HamidMirPAK reports: “Top Pakistani security officials have approached Afghan Taliban leadership in Doha and made it very clear to them that...if they will not show some flexibility they will face consequences.” thenews.com.pk/print/827112-e…
“[A] top Pakistani security official will meet Taliban leaders in Doha on April 28 (today) and will deliver an “enough is enough” message to them in very clear words.”
“According to highly placed sources, Pakistani security agencies found some links between Afghan Taliban and groups related to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). A top source said “they are two faces of a same coin”...”
@SenatorMenendez pushing Special envoy Khalilzad on Taliban's stated goal of restoring an Islamic emirate. Khalilzad saying the Taliban might be dissuaded by the opposition of fellow Afghans.
.@MittRomney asks has the Taliban upheld the Feb 2020 Doha agreement. Khalilzad says the Taliban has honored the agreement on not attacking US forces.
Khalilzad says there have been "positive developments" on Taliban commitment to not let the use of Afghan territory for international terrorism, but US policymakers are not satisfied, want to see more.