ISLAMABAD – American Military gives deadline of entire US troops withdrawalfrom Afghanistan.
The United States and NATO would withdraw all troops in Afghanistan within14 months if the Taliban upheld its commitments, according to a jointstatement released by the U.S. and Afghan governments on Saturday.
“The Coalition will complete the withdrawal of their remaining forces fromAfghanistan within 14 months following the announcement of this jointdeclaration and the U.S.-Taliban agreement…subject to the Taliban’sfulfillment of its commitments under the U.S.-Taliban agreement,” thestatement said.
The U.S. would initially reduce its forces in Afghanistan to 8,600 within135 days of the U.S.-Taliban agreement, which was set to be signed in theQatari capital of Doha in the afternoon.
The fruit of more than a year of on-and-off talks, the agreement lets Trumpclaim a major foreign policy success, a prize that has eluded him on NorthKorea, Venezuela, Iran and other priorities.
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in Kabul on Saturday that the UnitedStates would remain committed to Afghan security forces and while thesigning of the historic accord was a good step, the road ahead would not beeasy.
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“This is a hopeful moment, but it is only the beginning. The road aheadwill not be easy. Achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan will requirepatience and compromise among all parties,” Esper said while standing nextto Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and NATO Secretary-General JensStoltenberg.
“If the Taliban uphold the agreement, the United States will begin aconditions-based, and I repeat conditions-based, reduction in forces,”Esper said.
He added if the Taliban did not live up to commitments, the United Stateswould not hesitate to nullify the agreement.
In Doha, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the Taliban must keep itspromise to cut ties with Al Qaeda and keep fighting Islamic State. He alsocalled on the group to embrace progress achieved by women and girls since2001.
