There are currently about 2,500 US and coalition troops in Afghanistan, about 7,000
Washington … News Time
US forces have begun preparations for their withdrawal from Afghanistan. Before the withdrawal began on May 1, not only did the US military begin repatriating its equipment, but it also began terminating its contracts with local contractors. The report was released by the Pentagon on Monday, according to the Associated Press. President Joe Biden calls the withdrawal the end of America’s longest war in 20 years. There are currently about 2,500 US and coalition troops in Afghanistan, about 7,000. Earlier this month, the Biden administration announced that the final phase of the evacuation would begin on May 1 and would be completed before September 11. In February last year, the US military began closing its small checkpoints in Afghanistan. On condition of anonymity, the U.S. official told the AP that since then, the U.S. military has been sending back its equipment and terminating contracts with local contractors for garbage collection and maintenance work. Although preparations are underway, the withdrawal of troops will not begin for the next few weeks, according to the official, until the remaining checkpoints are closed. There are also indications that the evacuation process will be completed before September 11. This year marks the 20th anniversary of al-Qaeda’s September 11 attack on the United States. It was this attack that led to the US invasion of Afghanistan.
The German Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that talks were under way among military planners of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission in Kabul to allow a possible withdrawal of international troops by July 4. The Defense Department official said most of the military equipment from Afghanistan would be sent back by air, but the military would also use land routes to Central Asia north of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Goods that will not be returned to the United States or handed over to the Afghan National Security Forces will be sold to contractors who will sell them in the local market. The official said that it is very possible that you will see this product in the markets as scrap. According to the Associated Press, meanwhile, the Taliban did not answer the question of whether they would attack returning US and NATO troops.
Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem said it was premature and that nothing could be said about the future. In an agreement reached with the former US administration last year, the deadline for the withdrawal of US troops was set for May 1. Under the agreement, the Taliban promised not to attack US and NATO forces in the meantime, but also promised that if the United States withdrew from the May 1 deadline, the consequences would be catastrophic.
