Afghanistan crumbles amidst Taliban and ISIS disputes. ADA News - July 6th 2019

[MSgt Falconer]

Afghanistan crumbles amidst Taliban and ISIS disputes.

ADA News - Dateline July 6th 2019

 

The country of Afghanistan has long been a country plagued by war and sectarian violence. From the Soviet invasion in the 70s to the American invasion and subsequent overthrow of the Taliban government it has been a long and troubled path to recovery for the poor middle eastern nation. US Involvement in Afghanistan dropped to a record low during 2016 when the United States withdrew a majority of their forces and allowed the ANA to take over general upkeep and security.

 

With the US withdrawal from Afghanistan the country’s path to recovery took a sharp turn downwards. Taliban force reemerged in less than a year and caught the ill prepared ANA off guard, taking portions of western Afghanistan, most notably including the city of Herat, despite there still being a US presence around the city at the time. From there US forces were redeployed, much to the displeasure of the american public, and control was re-established over western Afghanistan during an 8 month long U.S. lead offensive. The U.S. recommitted to training, more effectively this time, the ANA and ANP to protect and defend their own land.

 

Any progress made during that year was abruptly shattered when ISIS detonated a chemical weapon in the capital city on voting day. Coalition forces struggled to maintain control as public support of the democratic government and coalition forces dropped to the lowest it had in years. Many people turned back to the nearly defeated Taliban for security and support as their democratic government failed them. Spurred on by the sudden influx of support, the Taliban launched a major offensive recovering large areas of Northern Afghanistan and reestablishing Taliban rule in these areas. The Afghan government has announced a “temporary withdrawal” from these areas essentially leaving them wide open for the Taliban to walk in and claim them without resistance.

 

This hegemony over Northern Afghanistan has recently come under threat however as ISIS-A (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria - Afghanistan branch) has seen a significant influx of fighters and material following the ISIS collapse in Iraq and Syria. Using contacts in the fractured Iran, ISIS has managed to transfer large parts of its most diehard fighters to Afghanistan and have begun muscling in on Taliban territory in the North sparking several engagements between the two terrorist organizations.

 

Amidst this chaos, reports are also coming in from a group of political moderates banding together following the Afghan governments withdrawal. These moderates have taken on the name “United front for the Salvation of Afghanistan”, more commonly known as “The Northern Alliance”. Drawing on the legacy of the historic Northern alliance who fought against the Taliban regime from 1996 until the US invasion in 2001. Reports are scarce but over the past couple of weeks it seems that they have successfully fought both ISIS-A and The Taliban to a standstill.

 

ANA forces secure an ISIS-A held compound in Northern Afghanistan.

 

The region's future remains uncertain as the hard pressed Afghan government has declined to comment on what seems like a surrender of their territory to the Taliban. A NATO spokesperson has commented that NATO forces remain committed to the Iran-Iraq standoff but will offer Afghanistan all possible support. The Pentagon has neither confirmed nor denied the rumors of US Special Forces deploying to Afghanistan.

Written by: Simon Tam
Edited by: Alan White

 

*This news report is a fictional work created to support the 3d MRB ARMA gameplay*