Iran has offered rewards to Taliban for attacking US and international coalition troops in Afghanistan, in a case reminiscent of the " Russian bounties " that sparked heated debate in June, reported Monday (August 17th). CNN.
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According to the channel, which cites US military intelligence sources, Washington spotted payments related to six attacks last year, including one in December on a building outside Bagram Air Base near Kabul, which killed two Afghan civilians and injured four Americans.
" Harmful behavior "
The US Department of Defense has neither denied nor confirmed CNN's information, citing the confidentiality of internal intelligence exchanges. But a Pentagon spokesperson stressed that the ministry had " repeatedly called, publicly and in private, that Iran cease its nefarious and destabilizing behavior in the Middle East and across the world ." “ Iran's hostile influence is aimed at undermining the Afghan peace process and fostering continued violence and instability, ” he added.
In June, US media reported that intelligence had come to the conclusion that Russia itself had offered bounties to the Taliban to kill US soldiers in Afghanistan.
President Donald Trump had assured that he had not been informed of these findings, which had sparked controversy. Several observers and the Democratic opposition had also criticized the Republican billionaire for not having decided on any retaliation against Moscow, accusing him of being too benevolent towards his Russian counterpart Vladimir Poutin.