US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed that the Biden administration is reviewing whether to designate the Taliban as a “foreign terrorist organization.” Rubio made the remarks during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in response to a query from Representative Tim Burchett.
The announcement comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a sweeping Pentagon review of the chaotic 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan. In a memo, Hegseth stressed the need for accountability and a full understanding of the events that led to what he described as “one of America’s darkest and deadliest international moments.”
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A special review panel will revisit all prior investigations, examining key decisions, sources, and witness testimonies related to the withdrawal, which saw the Taliban swiftly take control and led to a massive evacuation effort from Kabul airport.
The withdrawal also witnessed a deadly suicide bombing on August 26, 2021, which killed over 170 people, including 13 American service members, marking a tragic culmination of the 20-year war.
