Sept 5, 2021: In an interview on Fox News, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said he believed it was “likely” that conditions for a future civil war could develop in Afghanistan following the US troop withdrawal

The general also stated that civil war in the region could lead to the resurgence of groups like al Qaeda and ISIS, among others.

During the interview that aired on Saturday, a reporter asked Milley if the US was safer today since the country had withdrawn its troops from Afghanistan.

“Well you know this is something that I’ve thought a lot about. And I personally think that my military estimate is that the conditions are likely to develop of a civil war. I don’t know if the Taliban is gonna be able to consolidate power and establish governance, they may be, maybe not,” Milley told Griffin.

He further added, “But I think there’s at least a very good probability of a broader civil war, and that will then in turn lead to conditions that could in fact, lead to reconstitution of al Qaeda or a growth of ISIS or other myriad of terrorist groups.”

The General also noted that it would be a “very difficult policy choice” when asked if he could envision a situation in which US troops would have to return to Afghanistan.

The general’s comments came after a chaotic August, in which the international community watched the rapid deterioration of the Afghan government at the hands of the Taliban. The insurgent group consolidated power in a matter of days, and on Aug. 15 took the capital city of Kabul.