WASHINGTON: CNN on Saturday reported that the Trump administration is closeto finalizing a decision to withdraw more than 4,000 troops fromAfghanistan by the fall, citing two Trump administration officials.
Almost a week ago, Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of the US Central Command,said the United States has reduced its troop level to 8,600 in Afghanistan,fulfilling the first phase of the planned withdrawal specified in theUS-Taliban deal signed in Doha in February.
The CNN report says that the new move would reduce the number of troopsfrom 8,600 to 4,500 and would be the lowest number since the very earliestdays of the war in Afghanistan, which began in 2001.
This comes a day after a meeting between US Defense Secretary Mark Esperand NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels.
“We will also follow up on our discussion on Afghanistan. NATO willcontinue to adjust our presence in support of the peace process,”Stoltenberg said on Friday. “This will be done in close coordination withAllies and partners.”
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The US has committed to withdrawing all of its forces from Afghanistan bynext April under the agreement it signed with the Taliban.
It is unclear when the withdrawal of the 4,000 additional US troops wouldtake place, CNN reports.
