Joe Biden promised "not to abandon us like he did with the Afghans" - The Times

We start the tour in British newspapers from The Times and a report by its correspondent, Richard Spencer, entitled: "Kurdish rebel leader Mazloum Abdi says: Biden promised us that he would not abandon us as he did with the Afghans."

Spencer describes the Kurds as "the West's closest allies in Syria."

The White House sent General Frank McKenzie, commander of the US Central Command, on an unannounced visit to provide personal assurances to Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria.

Abdi told the newspaper that the residents of the region were worried about what happened in Afghanistan. He added: "Let's be honest, after the American withdrawal from Afghanistan, people were afraid." "They were afraid that they would face the same fate," he added.

The United States has 900 soldiers in eastern Syria. Spencer says that the forces are officially there to help the Syrian Democratic Forces eliminate the last trace of the Islamic State in a triangle whose sides are the Turkish and Iraqi borders and the lands controlled by the Syrian government.

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But it also acts, according to Spencer, as a barrier to prevent Turkish incursions against the Kurds, whom Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan considers "terrorists", and to prevent "the takeover (of the region) by the (Syrian) regime and its backers in Iran, which has its own strategic goals in the region.”

Abdi told the Times from his headquarters near the city of Hasakah: "They reassured us that this is not Afghanistan. They said that the (American) policy here is completely different."

The Americans insist, according to the report, that their official position is that they will remain in Syria, and in neighboring Iraq, until the "final defeat of the Islamic State."

Abdi told the Times that he would prefer the Americans to pledge to stay until a final political settlement to the Syrian conflict is reached. This is because, with a US military presence, he will have high hopes of winning the long-sought official recognition of Kurdish autonomy — and perhaps also of the Arab-majority hinterland of Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor provinces, also under his control.

And he added, "We believe that the Biden administration at least reviews cases before making decisions," noting that "it seemed that the previous administration made its decisions via Twitter. I hope this administration will not be in the same way."

Arms smugglers in Pakistan are 'optimistic'

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We turn to The Independent and a report by its correspondent, Bill Trew, entitled: "With the Taliban taking control of NATO bases, arms smugglers in Pakistan's border regions hope their business will flourish."

The author says that the footage broadcast of the Taliban from inside abandoned NATO bases in Afghanistan, and its fighters wearing American military uniforms, carrying American weapons, and driving armored cars and American helicopters, aroused concern in the world. But in neighboring Pakistan, some rejoiced. Traders like Ahmad (not his real name), who spent two decades smuggling weapons out of Afghanistan, believe he has new business opportunities.

"We are waiting, we are optimistic," True quoted him as telling potential buyers in a video call. He told the newspaper: "We have orders for the purchase of American M-4 rifles and pistols. In the coming days we hope - and expect - that there will be some kind of agreement."

The report indicated that the history of smuggling between Pakistan and Afghanistan is long. But it became widespread in the early days of the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

He adds that the borders at that time became a "wonderland" for smugglers who took advantage of the fighting to obtain weapons, military equipment, clothes and even luxury Western foodstuffs from US bases in Afghanistan, and smuggled them into Pakistan.

Much of this contraband, from night vision goggles to ammunition belts, was on display in places like Peshawar, near the northwest border with Afghanistan, where the city's most famous market has been dubbed "Bush's Bazaar" after the president, True said. Former American George W. Bush.

The Independent's correspondent says that with the continuation of the war, the smuggling business has dried up. The borders and neighboring provinces have come to a large extent under state control.

It quoted high-ranking Pakistani security sources as telling the newspaper that while no one can guarantee a completely anti-smuggling border with Afghanistan, given that it extends for more than 2,600 kilometers through sometimes very difficult terrain, smuggling had been "caught." And that it will remain so after the withdrawal of the United States.

True points out that Bush's Bazaar is full of Chinese imitations and homemade weapons, carved to look American. However, traders believe that will now change.

One of the shopkeepers reluctantly admitted to a reporter that his holsters, tactical vests, lubricants, rifles and combat boots were all made in China. "Frankly, we want American-made equipment," he said. "The original commandos haven't been here in years."

He told The Independent: "At the moment the borders are more or less closed, but maybe (the equipment) will come in a month. We've all seen how the bases and embassies have been emptied. The goods will come."

Khaled (a pseudonym), who owns a weapons shop, agrees with what his colleague said.

He told the newspaper: "Before the Taliban, some American ammunition was available, as it was easy to bribe the (former regime) officials."

"At the moment, there is a complete ban on that, as the Taliban are trying to portray themselves as spreading and following law and order. But we don't think this will continue," he added.

Speaking to The Independent, Taliban commanders guarding the Torkham border insisted that arms smuggling would not happen because "there is no more lawlessness". They said that bribery and corruption "were the hallmarks of the deposed administration" and that now was "a new and better era".