US Defence Secretary makes important statement over military troops withdrawal from Afghanistan
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ISLAMABAD - US Defence Secretary makes important statement over military troops withdrawal from Afghanistan.
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Monday that any future troop drawdowns in Afghanistan were “not necessarily” linked to a deal with Taliban insurgents, suggesting some lowering of force levels may happen irrespective of the ongoing peace push.
The remarks by Esper in an interview with Reuters came on the heels of a Thanksgiving trip last week to Afghanistan by President Donald Trump, who spoke of potential troop reductions and said he believed the Taliban insurgency would agree to a ceasefire in the 18-year-old war, TOLO News has reported.
If honored by all sides, a ceasefire could lead to a significant reduction in violence. But US military commanders would still focus on the threats associated with two other militant groups in Afghanistan: Daesh and al Qaeda.
Speaking as he flew to London for a NATO summit, Esper said the Trump administration had been discussing potential reductions in troop levels for some time, both internally and with NATO allies.
“I feel confident that we could reduce our numbers in Afghanistan and still ensure that place doesn’t become a safe haven for terrorists who could attack the United States,” Esper said, without offering a figure.
“And our allies agree we can make reductions as well.”
