Afghanistan: Peace with the Taliban opens the possibility of confronting ISIS

538"One of the reasons that make us focus on this peace process with the Taliban is that our security forces will be able to direct their capabilities against terrorist groups such as ISIS," Muhib said, adding to Agence France-Presse: "It is a long conflict ... four decades."

Muhib said that ISIS had been expelled from the territories it controlled in Iraq and Syria, but that it had maintained a "terrorist network." He continued, "We are working very hard to prevent them from attacking our cities," but "we face many threats."

"The Taliban wanted to get the most benefit at the negotiating table, and I think they might be testing the Afghan security forces, and maybe also testing how far they can last before our allies come to support us," Muhib said, stressing that "we still rely on air power." "We need this to maintain our supremacy over the Taliban until we build our own capabilities."

The Afghan government began peace talks with the Taliban last September, while ISIS has recently stepped up its activities in Afghanistan, and carried out a series of attacks, including targeting Kabul University last November, which left 22 people dead.

T/S

ANHA