KABUL - James R. Clapper, the director of US national intelligence has said that al-Qaeda is attempting to carry out attacks on US again, warning against regrouping of the militant group in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He said that al-Qaeda affiliates have proven resilient and are positioning to make gains during the current year and attack the US despite counter terrorism pressure that has largely degraded the network's leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In his testimony before the House Select Committee on Intelligence, James Clapper said that al-Qaeda network members continue to pose threats to the US interests.
"Other terrorist groups retain the ability to attract recruits and resources," he said.
Warning the committee members on such future attacks, he said that the US will "almost certainly remain at least a rhetorically important enemy for most violent extremists in part due to past and ongoing US military, political, and economic engagement overseas. Violent extremists will probably continually plot against US interests overseas."
Previously, Clapper had warned against a political downturn in Afghanistan during 2016, a claim dismissed by Afghan officials.
Clapper, however maintained that al-Qaeda presence in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan has been visibly diminished, yet it aspires to attack the US and its allies.
Referring to the activities of Daesh, Clapper stressed that Daesh's announcement last year on the formation of its Khorasan branch in south Asia rebranded former Afghan Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan members.
"Despite quick early growth in 2015, ISIL's Khorasan branch will probably remain a low level threat to Afghan stability as well as to US and Western interests in the region in 2016," he said.
"They must be concerned, because these organizations (al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations) are the organization which operate in a limited area. These organizations operate on the basis of particular strategies and they can pose a threat anywhere in the world," former minister of interior Mirza Mohammad Yarmand said.
"If the international community take serious action for the elimination of terrorism roots, there is unanimity of views that we can easily curb terrorism in the region. If there is no firm determination, then terrorism will survie for a long time," political commentator Hadi Miran said.
It seems that Afghanistan and its international partners would travel on new tracks in 2016 in their struggle against terrorism.
According to experts, the US and international community need to focus their concentration on terrorism funding resources, hideouts and bunkers. (Tolonews)