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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Taleban 'run 10% of Afghanistan' | Taleban 'run 10% of Afghanistan' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Six years after being ousted in the US-led invasion, the Taleban have retaken about 10% of Afghanistan, US intelligence chief Mike McConnell says. | Six years after being ousted in the US-led invasion, the Taleban have retaken about 10% of Afghanistan, US intelligence chief Mike McConnell says. |
| The government controlled just 30% of the country, and the rest was under tribal control, the director of national intelligence told senators. | The government controlled just 30% of the country, and the rest was under tribal control, the director of national intelligence told senators. |
| But that assertion has been denied by the Afghan government as incorrect. | |
| The Committee on Armed Services heard the Taleban's resurgence was due partly to increased support from al-Qaeda. | The Committee on Armed Services heard the Taleban's resurgence was due partly to increased support from al-Qaeda. |
| The last 12 months have seen the worst violence in Afghanistan since 2001. | The last 12 months have seen the worst violence in Afghanistan since 2001. |
| The head of the US Defence Intelligence Agency told the same committee major problems remained in trying to crack down on the lawless tribal area on Afghanistan's border with Pakistan. | The head of the US Defence Intelligence Agency told the same committee major problems remained in trying to crack down on the lawless tribal area on Afghanistan's border with Pakistan. |
| 'Vital sanctuary' | 'Vital sanctuary' |
| Lt Gen Michael Maples said the Pakistani military was not trained for that fight. | Lt Gen Michael Maples said the Pakistani military was not trained for that fight. |
| He added that it would take three to five years to address those deficiencies and to make a difference. | He added that it would take three to five years to address those deficiencies and to make a difference. |
| "Pakistani military operations in the [region] have not fundamentally damaged al-Qaeda's position," Gen Maples said. | "Pakistani military operations in the [region] have not fundamentally damaged al-Qaeda's position," Gen Maples said. |
| "The tribal areas remain largely ungovernable and, as such, they will continue to provide vital sanctuary to al-Qaeda, the Taleban and regional extremism more broadly." | "The tribal areas remain largely ungovernable and, as such, they will continue to provide vital sanctuary to al-Qaeda, the Taleban and regional extremism more broadly." |
| In Washington, independent foreign policy experts have previously warned that Afghanistan largely remains a failing state. | |
| The latest assessment from US military chiefs underlines the cause for concern facing Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government, says the BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington. | The latest assessment from US military chiefs underlines the cause for concern facing Afghan President Hamid Karzai's government, says the BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington. |
| It has strongly rejected the claim that it controls only 30% of the country. | |
| "This is far from the facts and we completely deny it," the Afghan Defence Ministry said in a statement. | |
| "All Afghan people know that in the 34 provinces of Afghanistan and in more than 360 districts... the government has control," the statement said. | |
| Ministers argue that just because tribal leaders are encouraged to ensure security in some areas, that does not mean that the government is not present there. |