WASHINGTON – The Pentagon on Tuesday completed “greater than 50%” of itstask of withdrawing troops and equipment from Afghanistan as the US isgoing to end its longest war this year.
The US military has removed “the equivalent of approximately 500 C-17 loadsof material out of Afghanistan,” according to the US Central Command(Centcom).
Nearly 13,000 pieces of equipment, which will not be handed over to theAfghan forces, have been given to the Defense Logistics Agency for disposal.
“The 13,000 pieces of equipment are comprised almost entirely of federalexcess personal property. This equipment does not consist of defensivearticles or are considered to be major equipment,” reads the official pressrelease.
The US has officially handed over six facilities to the Afghan Ministry ofDefense, it added.
“We anticipate additional transfers of bases and military assets in thefuture which will support the ANDSF/GIRoA as they work to stabilize anddefend their nation.”
In April, US President Joe Biden announced a full withdrawal of US troopsfrom Afghanistan by September 11, that will mark the 20th anniversary ofthe 9/11 attacks.
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Under the deal brokered last year by the Trump administration with theTaliban, the foreign forces were bound to leave Afghanistan by May 1 butBiden extended it, enraging the former rulers of Afghanistan.
In the midst of withdrawal of US troops, the Taliban have accelerated theiractivities as they have taken control of some more areas.
Ruhollah Ahmadzai, a defence ministry spokesman, said that Afghan forceshave designed a comprehensive plant to retake the control of the areas andsuppress the militants.
He said that Taliban’s control on some areas did not reflect theirstrength, adding that security forces had withdrawn from these areas toprevent civilian casualties.
