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The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday that the United States will reduce the number of its troops in Afghanistan and Iraq in mid-January, in compliance with the orders of outgoing President Donald Trump, who previously hinted at the withdrawal of all forces from the two countries.
Acting US Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said about 2,000 troops will leave Afghanistan and another 500 will leave Iraq, leaving only 2,500 US troops left in each of the two countries.
Miller added that the decision reflects Trump’s desire “to successfully and responsibly end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and bring our brave soldiers home,” as he put it.
And the number of soldiers remaining in Afghanistan is the lowest since US forces began combat operations in this country two decades ago.
The president of the United States had previously hinted at a complete withdrawal from Afghanistan and Iraq by the end of next December.
White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said Tuesday that Trump expects all US forces to return from Afghanistan and Iraq in May.
Stoltenberg warned of the consequences of withdrawing US forces from Afghanistan (Getty Images)Critics
Commenting on this development, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the price for the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan could be very high.
Domestically, the decision to reduce US forces in Afghanistan and Iraq drew criticism even from Republican circles.
The leader of the Republican majority in the Senate, Mitch McConnell – during a speech in the Senate – expressed his opposition to the withdrawal of the forces of his country from Afghanistan and the Middle East, considering that the withdrawal of these forces would endanger the ” achievements “of this administration.
He added that 70 senators from both parties overwhelmingly voted in favor of an amendment he introduced, an amendment that recognizes the progress made in Syria and Afghanistan, identifies current risks, and warns that a swift withdrawal may create voids that Iran, Russia and the terrorists would be in. happy to fill, as he himself said.
In Kabul, a friend of my friend, a spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, commenting on statements by US officials about the withdrawal of US forces at the end of this year, Afghan forces carry out 98% of military operations and they are able to resist enemy attacks.
Siddiqui added that what interests him is financial and military aid and relations with the international community, noting that dozens of terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda, the Taliban and the Islamic State threaten Afghanistan and its international partners, he said.
It is noteworthy that the peace agreement signed by Washington and the Taliban in Doha at the end of February provided for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan within a period of 14 months, in exchange for security guarantees from the movement, consisting mainly of no use Afghan lands as a starting point for attacks.
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