Images of a wreckage of a plane fuselage emerged from Taliban sources. The remains were scattered across Ghazni province of eastern Afghanistan, where an aircraft crashed on January 27, 2020. The documents littered at the wreckage site, according to the Taliban, demonstrated that few US force officers were killed in the incident. The story was initially broken by the Taliban, who claimed to have brought the plane down, without elaborating how many persons were on board. The site of the crash has not yet been visited by US officials or any other members of the international force in Afghanistan. However, the Taliban’s claim to have brought down the plane was strongly refuted by US defence official who insisted on it being as misleading. The official hinted that a preliminary investigation revealed some mechanical errors. Afghan forces and Taliban fighters clashed and the government attempted to gain access to the wreckage site in a Taliban stronghold, but the apparent attempt was foiled by the Taliban. However, the Taliban vowed to allow a rescue team access to recover bodies from the crash site. The US forces were allowed to recover the bodies of two US service members from the site of the plane crash. The US media was tremendously recalcitrant and tried to hide the aspects of the crash. The circumstances have compelled the sources to divulge the news and partially break the blackout on the crash. The incident took place as the Taliban and the US diplomatically engaged in a round of negotiations on ending the 18-year War in Afghanistan. President Trump has pledged to end the US involvement in an endless war in Afghanistan, which began with an American armed conflict that was triggered by 9/11. Initially, the plane was identified as a commercial aircraft that belonged to state-owned carrier Ariana Airlines. However, the company has denied the reports of involvement of the airliner. Afghanistan could pose a strategic challenge to the security situation of the entire region Subsequently, it has been recognised as the US Air Force Bombardier E-11A (electronic surveillance plane), which can be carried on unmanned or crewed aircraft. The crashed jetliner, built by Bombardier Inc, is used by the military to extend the real-time information flow across the battlespace. The signals are converted and connected from one device to another, such as a radio to a telephone. The development of the spy aircraft came in direct response to the communication gap discovered during Operation Red Wings, a joint US military mission in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, back in 2005. According to Col Sonny Leggett, a spokesman for the US forces in Afghanistan, the military plane, a Bombardier E-11A, crashed and caught fire in the Ghazni province and an investigation was being conducted to determine the causes of the incident. The official position stands that the US military found no indications for the plane to have been knocked down by the enemy activity. The E-11A establishes connections between troops in the field and headquarters. The system facilitates in those areas where communications are otherwise difficult to surmount and elevating signals are hard to achieve above obstacles like mountains. Ordinarily, the Air Force pilots described the mechanism as “WiFi in the sky.” The system has been in perpetual use in Afghanistan along the line. Currently, the US and Taliban are negotiating to strike a peace deal, which would allow the US to bring home around 13,000 troops from Afghanistan to reduce the violence; halt the hostilities or establish a cease-fire to pave the way for the peace accord. After the incident, the Taliban claimed responsibility on social media to have brought the military plane down. They also claimed to have killed many American service members, including high-ranking members of the Central Intelligence Agency. Pictures and videos on social media supposedly from the crash site have endorsed the Taliban’s narrative. The war has been going on for almost 19 years. The US has tried numerous different strategies in Afghanistan, but the security situation remains unstable and dilapidated. The war costs the US $45 billion every year. Over time, the Taliban emerged in a stronger military position and continued to make sizeable gains. In the current scenario, Afghanistan could pose a strategic challenge to the security situation of the entire region. The recent incident of the plane crash is expected to not stall the process of peace talks and help pull the American forces from Afghanistan. Currently, the Taliban have control or influence over nearly 60 to 70 per cent of the country and hold sway over huge areas of the countryside. According to Russian intelligence sources, Michael D’ Andrea, a key CIA player and the head of US intelligence operations against Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan, has been assassinated in the downed US spy plane in Ghazni, Afghanistan. The plane was being served as the CIA’s mobile command for D’Andrea. It is being recognised as the most advanced spy platform and America’s mobile command centre. The aircraft was destroyed in the crash along with its crew and related equipment and documents are now in the Taliban’s control. Russia’s intelligence agencies have claimed that De Andrea, who was one of the leading CIA figures in the Middle East, is variously known as the Dark Prince or Ayatollah Mike, who was on board while the plane was downed. De Andrea was responsible for the assassination of Iran’s most powerful military commander, Gen Soleimani. He was also responsible for the deaths of 300 Iraqi protesters. Since 2017, De Andrea has had run the show characterised by the CIA’s false flag and assassination programs in the Middle East. The prominent general of Iran was murdered in an airstrike in Iraq. Thereafter, a series of events took place that caused a dramatic escalation in the tensions between the two countries. Consequently, this raises the question of whether the killing of Soleimani might serve US strategic interest. Iran fired 22 missiles on two bases in western Iraq, which housed American troops. The airstrikes were seen as revenge for Soleimani’s assassination. The US Central Command, which has led the longest fight in American history, at the outset made a confirmation that no one was harmed. Trump on that juncture tweeted, “All is well.” In a statement, Pentagon has lately validated that about 50 US troops were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury following the Iranian missile attack. The Trump Administration is currently being scathingly disparaged for taking so long to disclose the extent and nature of casualties and unable to reveal the precise facts to the public. On January 8, 2020, a Ukrainian passenger plane was shot down with a missile attack by Iran, killing 176 people on board. The plane crashed and burst in a big ball of flames. Iran faced a widespread public outcry for trying to hide aspects of the crash and the colossal losses of lives. Video images have appeared that show missile strikes as the UK and Canadian intelligence have reliable information concerning the Ukrainian plane, which was shot down by Iran in a surface-to-air missile attack. Afterwards, Iran bowed down to the inevitable and admitted that the strike was unintentional and the jetliner had been taken down by accident. The Islamic Republic of Iran has expressed deep regrets over the disastrous mistake. Whether genuine remorse can bring back valuable lives of the deceased and reduce the impact of Soleimani’s assassination, only time will tell. The Middle East region has been at the core of attention. But the region is in a precarious condition. At the centre of Muslim life, the Middle East is the most important location. It is confronting the threats and challenges from other opposing nations, particularly the US. The US’s interests in the Middle East have been more focused on oil than peace. The earth-shaking set of events will not serve the purpose of Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq or even other countries of the region. Continued tensions between Sunnis and Shias are exploited by regional rivals. The rift has led to escalating violence and a growing threat to the entire region. The current Iran-US tensions, Iraq’s fragile condition and the insecurity and vulnerability of Afghanistan are warning signals of how badly the escalation between the US and other regional players may change the complexion of the region and precipitate a descent into political disarray. A series of events have escalated tension, and the Middle East would descend into chaos. The killing of one of the most powerful operatives in the Middle East has put the entire region in the line of fire. It is on the verge of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings. Both sides are playing with fire, and the conditions in the Middle East are riper than at any juncture in recent times. Any fiery development anywhere in the region may have a ripple effect. Or even worse, may swallow the entire region. The writer can be reached at syedzubairahmed@rocketmail.com