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ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Amid the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the top US official is meeting in Greece with his NATO counterparts this weekend, hoping to forge more bases, sharing intelligence and other agreements to prevent terrorist groups from regrouping and threatening America and the region.
Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the NATO defense chiefs meeting will partly focus on the way forward now that all troops in the alliance withdrew from Afghanistan and that the Taliban have control.
Milley, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and US intelligence officials have warned that al-Qaida or the Islamic State group could regenerate in Afghanistan and pose a threat to the United States within a year to two years .
The US military has said it can conduct counterterrorism surveillance and, if necessary, strikes in Afghanistan from “beyond the horizon,” that is, from assets based in other countries. But they made it clear that surveillance flights from Persian Gulf bases are long and provide limited time in the air over Afghanistan. So they talked about seeking basic agreements, overflight rights and increased intelligence sharing with countries closer to Afghanistan, including some neighbors.
In recent months, however, US officials have reported little progress in negotiations over the basic agreements.
Milly said he would speak to his military counterparts “to see what the possibilities are and then bring them back” to US defense and diplomatic leaders for further discussions. Then, he said, officials will see what they can turn into reality.
“We’re going to talk about capabilities on the horizon and where the allies think they can make a contribution, we’re certainly open to that,” Milley told reporters traveling with him to Greece. “There are opportunities where alliance members can choose to work closely with us on these capabilities on the horizon.”
He said allies are concerned about the fight against terrorism and how to ensure effective defense against terrorists.
At the opening of the morning session on Saturday, NATO military leaders made it clear that preventing a resurgence of terrorism in Afghanistan is a key objective for the alliance.
Greek Defense Minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos told the group that allies must ensure the safety and security of Afghans at risk who remain in the country and must prevent a humanitarian crisis.
More than 120,000 Americans, Afghans and others were expelled from Afghanistan in the chaotic and massive airlift operation in the days following the fall of the capital Kabul to the Taliban. But thousands more have been left behind, many fleeing to the borders and seeking help from aid agencies and ad hoc groups struggling to find ways out of the country.
Human rights and refugee groups urge the European Union to step up aid to those trying to flee Afghanistan. The EU’s asylum agency said asylum claims by Afghans numbered 7,300 in July, before the government fell, a 21% increase from June. Almost 1,200 were unaccompanied minors. More than half of Afghan asylum claims in Europe are rejected.
“We are going through a period of significant challenges in Afghanistan,” said Panagiotopoulos, adding that a key risk is the migration flow to Europe. He said the allies must “provide support to countries in the immediate neighborhood and must avoid a migration crisis at our borders.
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