US Starts Withdrawing Troops from Afghanistan

By Staff, Agencies

US Army General Scott Miller said on Sunday an orderly withdrawal of foreign forces and the handing over of military bases and equipment to the Afghan forces had begun.

Miller said he was acting on orders based on US President Joe Biden's decision to end America's longest war, deeming the prolonged and intractable battle in Afghanistan no longer aligned with American priorities.

Earlier this month Biden said he would withdraw troops from Afghanistan before September 11, the 20th anniversary of the militant attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon that launched the Afghan war.

The foreign force withdrawal was slated to begin on May 1, in line with an agreement with the Taliban terrorist group in 2020.

"As we retrograde to zero US forces, we will turn over the [military] bases primarily to the [Afghan] Ministry of Defense and other Afghan forces," Miller said adding that the Taliban have committed to break their relationship with al Qaeda terrorist group.