*KABUL – The United States recently started drawing up plans for an abruptwithdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan, NBC reported, citing threecurrent and former US defense officials.*
The contingency planning is ongoing, and includes the possibility ofPresident Donald Trump ordering all American troops out of Afghanistanwithin weeks, wrote the NBC in an article, quoting current and former USdefense officials as saying.
Officials cautioned, however, that the planning is a precaution and thereis currently no directive from the White House to pull American troops outof Afghanistan.
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But the US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Monday thatcounterterrorism operations are critical for peace in Afghanistan and toensure that the country is no longer a safe haven for terrorists.
