US to Pull about Half of its Troops from Afghanistan
US President Donald Trump decided to pull about 7,000 troops from Afghanistan, a US official said on Friday.
US President Donald Trump decided to pull about 7,000 troops from Afghanistan, a US official said on Friday.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the US official said “roughly half” of the 14,000 US forces in Afghanistan would leave “within the next several months.”
Taliban Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid would not comment about the troops’ withdrawal. But a senior Taliban commander welcomed the decision.
Trump’s decision apparently came Tuesday as Khalilzad met with the Taliban representatives in Abu Dhabi, part of efforts to bring the militants to the negotiating table with Kabul.
Tuesday was also the day Trump told the Pentagon he wanted to pull all US forces out of Syria. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigned on Thursday, saying his views were no longer reconcilable with Trump’s.
After 17 years of war, Afghanistan is still faced with security challenges. Taliban group has a prominent presence in Afghan territory.
