BREAKING: Top officials in the White House were aware in early 2019 of classified intelligence indicating Russia was secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans, a full year earlier than has been previously reported, via AP
The assessment was included in at least one of President Donald Trump’s written daily intelligence briefings at the time, according to the officials. Then-national security adviser John Bolton also told colleagues he briefed Trump on the intelligence assessment in March 2019.
Story continuesOfficials said they did not consider the intelligence assessments in 2019 to be particularly urgent, given that Russian meddling in Afghanistan is not a new occurrence. The officials with knowledge of Bolton’s apparent briefing for Trump said it contained no “actionable intelligence,” meaning the intelligence community did not have enough information to form a strategic plan or response. However, the classified assessment of Russian bounties was the sole purpose of the meeting.
Concerns about Russian bounties flared anew this year after members of the elite Naval Special Warfare Development Group, known to the public as SEAL Team Six, raided a Taliban outpost and recovered roughly $500 thousand in U.S. dollars. The funds bolstered the suspicions of the American intelligence community that the Russians had offered money to Taliban militants and other linked associations.
The officials would not name the specific groups or give specific locations in Afghanistan or time frames for when they were detained. Abdul Raqib Kohistani, the Bagram district police chief, said at the time that at least five Afghan civilians were wounded after the attack on the convoy, according to previous reporting by the AP. It is not known if the civilians were injured by the car bomb or the gunfire from U.S. Marines.
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
AP sources: White House aware of Russian bounties in 2019The White House was aware in early 2019 of intelligence indicating Russia was secretly offering bounties to the Taliban for the deaths of Americans. That’s a full year earlier than has been previously reported.
Lire la suite »
White House Press Secretary Defends Trump Sharing 'White Power' VideoKayleigh McEnany said Trump shared the video for his 'demonized' supporters and claimed the president somehow 'did not hear' the white supremacist slogan.
Lire la suite »
Trump, White House yet to condemn 'white power' video he retweetedMore than 24 hours after Pres. Trump retweeted a video of a supporter shouting 'white power,' he still has not condemned the use of the term, distanced himself from the supporter or apologized for sharing it.
Lire la suite »
Trump's 'white power' retweet set off 'five-alarm fire' in White HousePresident Trump set off a “five alarm fire” in the White House on Sunday morning after he retweeted a video of one of his supporters saying “white power,” according to two White House officials.
Lire la suite »