Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT News
KABUL: The United States plans to review the troop withdrawal program from Afghanistan.
Washington agreed last year in a peace deal with Taliban to pull its last soldier from Afghanistan by May this year.
Now the US media quote the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd James Austin as saying that Biden administration wants to review the drawdown program considering possible threats against the United States.
John Kirby, the Pentagon Spokesman, said Wednesday that no decision was made yet about the number of troops deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“One of the reasons is that the new government wants to know properly about the situation, operation conditions and its sources in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Kirby said.
However, Kirby assured of no change in the US strategy of struggle against terrorism.
Secretary Austin told senators recently that he needs to get sure that Afghanistan would not be threat against the United States, but did not speak about the number of US troops in Afghanistan.
Separately, Afghanistan says it has full military responsibility in entire country.
“Afghan security forces have responsibility in all military sections. They are running the war and operations. It doesn’t matter whether the foreign troops leave or stay. If the NATO and international community help us, we welcome it,” said Rahmatullah Andar, Spokesman of the National Security Council.
Taliban who are busy in peace negotiations with Afghan government, call the peace deal they signed with the United States as the solution for the current crisis.
Zabihullah Mujahid, Taliban Spokesman, on Wednesday warned that the war would continue so long if the US decides to keep soldiers in Afghanistan.
The US already reduced its troop level from 4,500 to 2,500 under the peace deal with Taliban signed on February 28, 2020.
