The Taliban has accused the US of violating Afghanistan’s airspace with drones and said the flights are a violation of the US-Taliban peace deal that was signed in Doha.
“The US has violated all international rights and laws as well as its commitments made to the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, with the operation of these drones in Afghanistan,” the Taliban said in a statement on Twitter on Wednesday.
“We call on all countries, especially United States, to treat Afghanistan in light of international rights, laws and commitments … in order to prevent any negative consequences,” the statement said.
The US says it maintains what the Pentagon calls “over the horizon capabilities” in Afghanistan to spy on the country and launch future airstrikes, so the US could be flying surveillance drones into Afghan airspace.
Last week, the Pentagon said that it has no plans to ask the Taliban for permission to launch airstrikes in Afghanistan. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said there is “currently no requirement to clear airspace with the Taliban.”
The US tried to negotiate new basing agreements in Central Asia so it would be easier to spy on and bomb Afghanistan after the withdrawal. But the US had no luck and has to settle for launching Afghanistan flights from bases or aircraft carriers in the Gulf region.
“Last week, the Pentagon said that it has no plans to ask the Taliban for permission to launch airstrikes in Afghanistan”
Why do we not launch airstrikes in UK, or Germany, or any other European country? There are supposed to be bad guys there, you know. Oh wait, I know the reason, but I cannot say it……………………
Get AA systems, or at least electronic warfare systems to jam drone controls.
A state is protected only as much as it can protect itself. The US will leave well enough alone only those it can not hurt in that way.
Where is a “war zone” for drone strikes? Everywhere the US is able to do it.
Heck, just grab some microwave ovens and point them at the sky to see what happens. Worked wonders against the old tomahawk cruise missiles over Serbia.
Taliban should declare Afghan a no-fly zone and get some AA system on board to open fire on anything that moves up there without authorization. Two can play that game.
I’ll take dick-waving arrogance for $600, Alex.
Well, finally. This has been a glaring problem all along.
The U.S. pullout never extended to Afghani airspace. Removing ground forces, only removed the Taliban’s ability to use them as retaliatory hostages.
Sovereign territorial security and food security are the pillars of reconstruction.