Top U.S. general warns civil war could erupt in Afghanistan after troop withdrawal

The commander of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan is warning about a civil war in the country after American troops leave in the coming weeks.

The prediction was made Tuesday in Kabul by Army Gen. Austin S. Miller in Kabul who pointed to a resurgence of the Islamist military group the Taliban.

"Civil war is certainly a path that can be visualized if it continues on the trajectory it’s on," said Miller, according to The New York Times. "That should be a concern for the world."

U.S. troops are set to leave the country by Sept. 11. However, a small number will stay at the U.S. embassy, and a small contingent will stay at the Kabul airport to assist in the withdrawal.

The four-star general's comments come after a report by U.S. intelligence experts warning that the country could fall within six months of American troop withdrawal. To date, Taliban forces have retaken 100 district centers, mostly in the north of the country, killing dozens of civilians and displacing thousands.

"The future will tell the rest of the story," also said Miller, according to the Associated Press. "What we will have to do is make an honest assessment of what went well and what didn’t go so well over the years as we work forward."