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U.S. intelligence agencies believe the Islamic State in Afghanistan could develop the capability to attack the United States in as little as six months, a senior Pentagon official told senators on Tuesday.
The stark warning is the latest reminder of the danger that remains after U.S. troops left the country at the end of August and the Taliban retook control.
Under Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl said the U.S. had to remain vigilant against the threat from Al Qaeda and from the Islamic State's Afghanistan offshoot known as ISIS-K.
'I think the intelligence community currently assesses that both ISIS-K and Al Qaeda have the intent to conduct external operations, including against the United States, but neither currently has the capability to do so,' he told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
'We could see ISIS-K generate that capability in somewhere between six or 12 months.
'I think the current assessments by the intelligence community as Al Qaeda would take a year or two to reconstitute that capability.'
Under Secretary of Defense Colin Kahl said the U.S. had to remain vigilant against the threat from Al Qaeda and from the Islamic State's Afghanistan offshoot known as ISIS-K
An Afghan security personnel holds the Islamic State group's flag after an attack in the city
