Intel on China bounties called ‘less' credible than Russia payments
"Very thin" and "rumors" are how one senior official described the intelligence report that Beijing is plotting to kill American troops in Afghanistan.
Robert O'Brien
By LARA SELIGMAN
12/30/2020 08:57 PM EST
Updated: 12/30/2020 09:51 PM EST
Allegations that China secretly offered bounties to Afghan militants to kill U.S. troops are “less" credible than previous intelligence reports indicating that Russia embarked on a similar operation, according to a senior U.S. official.
National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien briefed President Donald Trump on the unconfirmed allegations on Dec. 17, according to two other senior administration officials. But they stressed that the intelligence, first reported by Axios on Wednesday, is uncorroborated.
In fact, the intelligence is “very thin†— thinner even than reports that Russia offered payments to the Taliban to target U.S. and coalition troops, which were never corroborated, the first senior U.S. official told POLITICO.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/30/china-afghanistan-bounties-452863
