LOC22:53
19:53 GMT
WASHINGTON, June 3 (KUNA) -- US Army Major General Curtis Scaparrotti
expressed concerns on Thursday about the growing influence and strength of the
Hagqqani Network inside Afghanistan.
Speaking though teleconference from Afghanistan, Gen. Scaparrotti said that
we have been witnessing "a good impact on the Haqqani Network, which I see as
our greatest threat in Regional Command East, operating primarily in Khost,
Paktika they are attempting to increase their influence into the areas south
of Kabul and even somewhat into Nangarhar."
The Haqqani Network is an independent insurgent group in Afghanistan and
Pakistan that is closely allied with the Taliban.
Gen. Scaparrotti affirmed that insurgents' strength is "degraded" and less
powerful compare with a year ago. "They have conducted less direct fire
attacks from the winter into this spring, and they're using more IEDs, suicide
vests and potentially a car bomb," he added.
"We along with the special operations forces that work with us have had a
great effect against the Haqqani network. And we can see that we've stressed
their leadership, their facilitation, the movement of their expertise and
their supply" Gen Scaparrotti affirmed.
The U.S. plans to pullout its troops beginning in July 2011, "our main
priorities" to build and reinforce the Afghan government's competence,
capacity and credibility in a unified effort to protect the population,"
Scaparrotti said. (end)
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