WASHINGTON (AP) – Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says it’s “possible” the U.S. will have to coordinate with the Taliban on any future counterterrorism strikes in Afghanistan against Islamic State militants or others.
Milley spoke Wednesday at a Pentagon news conference two days after the final U.S. troops left Afghanistan at the close of a turbulent and deadly evacuation of more than 124,000 American citizens, Afghans and others.
He says it’s hard to predict how the future of the Taliban will unfold.
Milley called the Taliban a ruthless group and “whether or not they change remains to be seen.”
Separately, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced at the same news conference Wednesday that future evacuation of Americans in Afghanistan who wish to leave will be led by the State Department.
(Copyright 2021, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
WBAP/KLIF Contributed to this report
