Turkey's role in Afghanistan after withdrawal of NATO troops

BRUSSELS: During my ultimate visit to Afghanistan, I specifically asked NATO officials to take me to the Turkish quarter of the alliance in Kabul. Turkey and Albania are the handiest Muslim NATO nations which can be stationed in Afghanistan. Turkey is the second one-largest contingent after america in NATO.

My objective of travelling the Turkish quarter turned into to assess the Afghans' feelings closer to the Turkish Army's presence in NATO.

Interestingly, it changed into the best sector wherein they allowed me to transport freely. In all the other sectors we have been escorted at all times.

We thought that going to Afghanistan with NATO forces will impede or restrict the objective of accumulating information but to my surprise, the alternative occurred: we had extra access to military and improvement initiatives.

As in keeping with our wishes, we were taken to the Turkish Army's NATO quarter, wherein we were provided bulletproof jackets and helmets.

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This was the arena of Kabul in which there was an surroundings of terrific goodwill between the Afghan people and the Turkish infantrymen.

The Turkish navy runs a dispensary and college for the Afghan public within the zone and gives loose medical remedy. The NATO commander of the Turkish forces proudly highlighted Afghan-Turkish relations and records.

And I noticed that the Afghan humans did now not do not forget the Turkish troops to be an occupying overseas force.

Therefore, it's miles being mentioned that the Turkish forces stay in Kabul properly after the withdrawal of NATO troops.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in his meeting with US President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the NATO summit, mentioned the opportunity of giving Turkey a special role in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces.

Erdogan advised journalists that he had advised the United States president that Turkey turned into equipped to extend the mandate of Turkish forces in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO forces.

Read greater: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkish ministers to discuss Afghan peace possibilities

The Turkish president said that the two international locations had been discussing the opportunity of Turkish troops securing the Kabul airport along with Pakistani and Hungarian forces.

Reports from Afghanistan, meanwhile, say the Taliban are unexpectedly occupying Afghan towns, cities and villages as NATO preserve the withdrawal of forces. The move has caused the speculation that ultimately, after the withdrawal, the Taliban will take over Afghanistan.

In Brussels, Erdogan informed the clicking that Turkey is holding talks with numerous companies and looking to attain a common time table. In case of an agreement, the Taliban might be a part of the authorities.

The veracity of the claims contradicts the information in light of the present day Afghan country's military might.

It remains to be visible whether or not the Taliban could be capable of overthrow the Ashraf Ghani administration which has the guide of the 350,000-strong Afghan Army and police subsidized by using america, Europe and Japan.

After the departure of NATO forces from Afghanistan, the Taliban will face this powerful military and ideologically, it's going to haven't any moral justification to continue their combat in opposition to their Afghan brothers.

Read more: Turkey proposes joint Pakistan, Hungary task to keep Kabul airport secure

We must not overlook at some point of ten years of warfare by using the Soviet Union in Afghanistan between 1979 and 1989, the Soviet Union constructed the Afghan security forces. The soviet-built Afghan army fought for 3 years with the mujahideen no matter getting financial navy assistance from everywhere in the world, along with Pakistan.

The contemporary Afghan army, police and different security groups had been fighting the Taliban for the past 8 years. They have been doing so regardless of a discounted NATO force. So the perception that the Taliban will overrun Kabul is wrong and deceptive.

There are probabilities that the insurgency will continue in southern Afghanistan and terrorism will maintain to strike in big towns as it has in the ultimate 20 years.

NATO wants to build consensus in Afghanistan and is seeking to capitalise on Turkey's unique reputation in Afghanistan because the Turks are valued by using the Afghan people.

Read extra: Turkey’s Erdogan discusses Afghan peace with PM Imran Khan amid US withdrawal

This is an observation I made once I had visited Kabul.

NATO's family members with Turkey had been strained, specially since the failed 2016 coup. The rift among the alliance and Turkey in addition widened after Anakara purchased Russia's S-four hundred defence gadget despite being a NATO member.

Misunderstandings have in addition risen after some of the Turkish squaddies published at European stations took political asylum in opposition to the Erdogan authorities.