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What is the strength of the Taliban?
The Taliban’s strength is even harder to measure. According to the US Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, estimates suggest a core strength of 60,000 fighters. With the addition of other militia groups and supporters, that number could exceed 200,000.
What is the estimated strength of the Taliban in Afghanistan?
From the perspective of size, the Taliban have about 80,000 fighters, in comparison with the more than 300,000 soldiers working for the former Afghan government. Yet, the militant group still overran the country within weeks.
What is the strength of Taliban in Afghanistan?
What happened to the Afghan SOF in Afghanistan?
The Afghan government has the Taliban on the run. Taliban and ISIS forces are surrendering weekly to the Afghans. Afghan SOF have not lost a battle, they are skilled operators that can conduct precision night raids and then hand out humanitarian aid to children.
What is the current situation in Afghanistan?
Since 2018, the Taliban movement has declared that it cannot win militarily, entered into a cease-fire, and traveled the globe seeking a peace process. The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) have been campaigning aggressively, liberating Afghans from long-held Taliban areas.
How did the Taliban come to power in Afghanistan?
This turmoil gave the Taliban the perfect opportunity to grab power in the country and in 1996 they took over Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan. They established themselves as the government in various other parts of the country as well. Democratic elections were held in Afghanistan three years after the 2001 US invasion.
What would peace with the Taliban mean for the US?
The US would reduce its troop numbers and would release several thousand prisoners. The Taliban, meanwhile, would agree to peace talks with the Afghan government, and would prevent anyone using Afghan soil to threaten the United States and its allies.