Terror attack ‘on scale of 9/11’ likely unless PM intervenes in Afghanistan, senior Tory claims

Terror attacks likely says chair of the Commons defence committee

Despite US projections that the Taliban would regain control of Afghanistan within twelve months, the military organisation has now taken the Afghan capital of Kabul. Now, a senior conservative has painted a concerning picture. A terrorist attack “on the scale of 9/11” is highly likely unless immediate action is taken by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Tobias Ellwood, the chair of the Commons defence committee, has dubbed the Western retreat as “completely humiliating” and predicted a “humanitarian disaster” in the future. https://twitter.com/Tobias_Ellwood/status/1426991171449114624 But it doesn't stop there. Ellwood fears that allowing Afghanistan to collapse will usher in the return of Al-Qaeda, who were responsible for the heinous attack in 2001. “Don’t forget that we will see further terrorist attacks,” Mr Ellwood. “I would not be surprised if we see another attack on the scale of 9/11, almost to bookend what happened 20 years ago, as a poke in the face to the Western Alliance to show how fruitless our efforts have been over the last two decades.” https://twitter.com/Tobias_Ellwood/status/1427184582030462976 The PM has insisted UK troops will not return to the country, the Independent reports. Ellwood has also called for the UK to deploy the Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group to the region. “I plead with the prime minister to think again," said Ellwood. "We have an ever-shrinking window of opportunity to recognise where this country is going as a failed state. “We can turn this around but it requires political will and courage. This is our moment to step forward.” https://twitter.com/Tobias_Ellwood/status/1426815076519063555 He continued: "We could prevent this, otherwise history will judge us very, very harshly in not steeping in when we could do and allowing the state to fail.” These fears have been reciprocated by numerous high-ranking political officials, including defence secretary Ben Wallace who said: "I am absolutely worried. Failed states are breeding grounds for those type of people – Al-Qaeda will probably come back.”

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• Last remaining British troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan