ISLAMABAD – US Defence Secretary makes important statement over militarytroops withdrawal from Afghanistan.
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Monday that any future troopdrawdowns in Afghanistan were “not necessarily” linked to a deal withTaliban insurgents, suggesting some lowering of force levels may happenirrespective of the ongoing peace push.
The remarks by Esper in an interview with Reuters came on the heels of aThanksgiving trip last week to Afghanistan by President Donald Trump, whospoke of potential troop reductions and said he believed the Talibaninsurgency would agree to a ceasefire in the 18-year-old war, TOLO News hasreported.
If honored by all sides, a ceasefire could lead to a significant reductionin violence. But US military commanders would still focus on the threatsassociated with two other militant groups in Afghanistan: Daesh and alQaeda.
Speaking as he flew to London for a NATO summit, Esper said the Trumpadministration had been discussing potential reductions in troop levels forsome time, both internally and with NATO allies.
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“I feel confident that we could reduce our numbers in Afghanistan and stillensure that place doesn’t become a safe haven for terrorists who couldattack the United States,” Esper said, without offering a figure.
“And our allies agree we can make reductions as well.”
