US troop pullout from Afghanistan ahead of schedule
An official told AFP on Wednesday that the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan was well ahead of schedule, when President Donald Trump reiterated his call for the Pentagon to repatriate troops.
The development comes after a historic, three-day ceasefire reduced questions on the next phase of Afghanistan's long war, which resulted in a significant reduction in civilian casualties.
The militant, called by the Taliban on the occasion of the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr, ended Tuesday night, raising concerns among Afghans as to whether his term could be extended or when the war could return.
Violence remained low after the ceasefire ended, but Afghan security forces launched airstrikes in the south, killing 18 "militants."
Under an agreement reached with the Taliban in February, the Pentagon was to reduce its troop levels from about 12,000 to 8,600 by mid-July, before withdrawing all troops by May 2021. ۔
But a senior U.S. defense official said the number of troops was already about 8,500, as commanders stepped up evacuations over fears of the corona virus.
"The evacuation was expedited due to Code 19 precautions," the official told AFP, noting that anyone with health concerns or over a certain age Going is preferred.
Trump told reporters Tuesday that the level of US forces is "currently at just under 7,000 strange troops."
The next day, he again complained that the United States should not act as a "police force" in Afghanistan.
Trump wrote on Twitter, "19 years later, it's time to create their own country's police.
"Bring our troops back home but watch closely what is happening and attack with thunder and lightning already, if need !"
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